24 to watch in 2024: KY Gov. Andy Beshear earns national attention, launches PAC
The Lexington Herald-Leader is profiling 24 individuals this month that you should be keeping an eye on in 2024. The selected group represents a cross-section of industries, political parties, missions and the state itself. We believe each is notable for their contributions to Kentucky, as well as their plans for the next 12 months.
Who: Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat in his second term as Kentucky’s governor.
Background: Before the commonwealth knew him as just “Andy,” Beshear was an attorney in private practice and served as Kentucky’s 50th attorney general. The son of former Gov. Steve Beshear, the younger Beshear narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Matt Bevin in 2019 to become Kentucky’s 63rd governor. Now, Beshear is looking to help elect “good people”in Kentucky and beyond with the launch of his political action committee. Beshear, 46, and his wife, Britainy, have two children, Will and Lila.
Why 2024 will be notable: When Beshear won reelection over then-Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Trump-endorsed Republican, in November by 5 percentage points, he found himself squarely in the national spotlight, as pundits and politicos dissected how it was possible that a Democrat in conservative Kentucky won by making abortion one of his key issues. The ensuing buzz has made Beshear a much-discussed figure in national political circles, both as a candidate for future higher office and the creator of a road map for Democratic victory in red states. With his new PAC, called In This Together, Beshear says he’s going to support candidates “who push back against anger politics.” The group’s creation, however, shouldn’t be interpreted to mean Beshear has interest in running for president in 2028, and the governor continues to say the only office he’s worried about is the one he has now.
Why do you think he will be successful in 2024? “Gov. Beshear will have success over the next four years because of the success he has seen over the past four,” said Senior Adviser of the Governor Rocky Adkins. “He has faced unprecedented challenges, at the same time he achieved record-breaking economic success and job creation. His leadership is rooted in civility, common sense and hard work — and those traits will continue to pay off for Kentucky families and communities.”
Why is 2024 such an important year for you or your organization? “This is an important year for Kentucky because we have a real opportunity to be the difference — to be both an economic and a moral leader of this country. We have the chance to push politics aside and move our commonwealth forward, together. That means making the investments that ensure we are the automotive leader of the future and have a Top 10 economy, with good jobs for all our families. This year also needs to be the year we pay our public school employees closer to what they deserve, fund universal Pre-K and make transformative investments in infrastructure and child care that help all our families and children prosper. This is the year when we can turn the last four years of progress into decades of prosperity.”
