Is KY Gov Andy Beshear Our Next Democratic POTUS? Can We Just Let Him Beat Daniel Cameron First?
Is KY Gov Andy Beshear Our Next Democratic POTUS? Can We Just Let Him Beat Daniel Cameron First?
All fingers remain crossed.
Today is the Kentucky governor’s election, and while I hope incumbent Democrat Andy Beshear defeats his weaselly Republican challenger Daniel Cameron, I do think the press is making way too much of this once specific race.
Monday, Politico ran a Jonathan Martin column titled “How Kentucky Could Elect A President,” which it has never done in any meaningful way. Bill Clinton won the state twice in 1992 and 1996 (thanks, Ross Perot!) but it’s been reliably Republican ever since. No one really pays attention on election night when Kentucky is called almost instantly.
“Kentucky is better known for breeding fillies than presidents,” Martin admits before getting silly: “Yet the winner of the governor’s race here Tuesday could very well be on the national ticket in a future election.”
Sorry, no, but Cameron is a charmless stiff like Tim Scott in South Carolina — although Cameron at least has the “ocular proof” of a significant other — and would probably get just as far in a national race. Narrowly winning a governor’s race in Kentucky as a Republican is hardly an impressive feat.
Beshear, however, is a more likely prospect for the presidency, especially if he pulls off re-election. He’s young, disciplined, and has performed admirably as governor. He’s also no Joe Manchin or Kyrsten Sinema. He keeps national Democrats at a clear but respectful distance. He doesn’t publicly drag Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, and he hasn’t shifted right on abortion or LGBTQ rights for political expediency. Cameron grossly tried to shame Beshear for simply taking a photo with drag queens, and Beshear held his ground. Oh, and his pro-choice position hasn’t hurt him — quite the opposite, as just 12 percent of Kentuckians support the state’s current abortion ban.
The only thing working against Beshear is that David Axelrod’s talking him up. Axelrod has been consistently wrong for years now. The last good advice he offered was probably when he suggested guests pass on the chicken at Barack Obama’s inauguration dinner.
“If Beshear wins, he instantly will become part of the ’28 discussion,” David Axelrod, the mastermind of Barack Obama’s 2008 victory, told me. “A young, charismatic Democrat who won twice in a deep red state? There will be a great deal of chatter.”
Poor VP Harris! Everyone’s running against her in 2028! (Also, I think Barack Obama was the true “mastermind” of his 2008 victory.)
Recent polls have Beshear either slightly ahead or tied with Cameron. The election results will have an impact on more than just Beshear and Cameron’s own political aspirations. Beshear recently vetoed sweeping anti-trans bills that Cameron wouldn’t hesitate to sign. Sure, Kentucky Republicans easily overrode the veto, but it does matter when the governor stands up for all his constituents.
It’s probably not wise to read that much into today’s results, but Politico’s Steven Shepard is hardly the King Solomon of politics. He writes:
If Beshear can win a second term, it will be thanks to a large swath of Trump voters. But if Cameron achieves a victory, it will be a sign that national politics — and enmity for Biden — is a serious danger for Democrats next year.
Biden has his share of worries right now, but c’mon, a Democratic governor losing in Kentucky is a bummer but hardly a harbinger of doom for Democrats nationwide, especially a year out from the next election.
[Politico]
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Kentuckian here. It's a shame how the down-ballot races went, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse. As it is, Andy will be able to keep the wild-eyed loons in the General Assembly from running roughshod over folks in most cases. Also, he just might get to appoint Mitch's replacement and that would be a mighty fine thing to see.
I'm watching election results now. A couple of national projections have called it for Beshear. I'm not comfortable with it just yet. What is so strange about this state though is just about every other republican is winning. Beshear has a 60 % approval rating so that's a good start.