Appearing at an annual fundraiser held by Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Beshear was asked whether Democrats should choose the Palmetto State as the crucial first primary in their 2028 nomination contest following the Iowa caucuses.
Beshear noted that the decision is up to the Democratic National Committee, but he added that "South Carolina should be the first of what I think should be two southern states in that early group."
The governor offered his rationale.
"If our candidates can come through, win in the south, show that we can turn people out, put together coalitions that can not only compete in the primaries but start winning in generals, start flipping some of these states, then I think it's going to create better candidates," he told reporters.
Yet there are hints that wary Democrats might revert to New Hampshire as their lead-off primary state following South Carolina's role in jumpstarting President Joe Biden's campaign in 2020.
Political insiders have also floated the idea of pushing southern states, such as Georgia and North Carolina, ahead of South Carolina.
Beshear reaffirmed his status as a potential Democratic presidential contender during an interview on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday.