Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) used his final state of the commonwealth speech to paint Kentucky as an example for how to unify the rest of America and hint at his future political ambitions in the process.
Beshear, a moderate Democrat who currently serves as the head of the Democratic Governors Association, has had his name tossed around by political pundits as a possible 2028 presidential candidate. His message Wednesday night fed into those rumors as Beshear talked about the American Dream and his belief that Kentucky’s neighborly unity can serve as a beacon for a divided nation.
“Together, we’ve set an example for all of America– a state where officials are both Democrats
and Republicans, a state that is both urban and rural, a state that stretches from the Appalachian
Mountains to the Mississippi River. Yet, we’ve found a way to work together, to find unity, and
to succeed,” Beshear said.
The Kentucky governor said that “folks around our country are no longer looking down on Kentucky, they’re looking up to us.” Balancing a sense of Bluegrass state pride and speaking to the rest of the country, Beshear made it clear he was offering his administration’s policies as hope for the people who believe “national politics has been poisoned with division.”
Addressing his work throughout 2025, Beshear stuck to his MO of discussing his policies on the kitchen table, affordability issues, a Democratic go-to after the 2025 elections.
“Last year we delivered once again, announcing more than $10.5 billion in private sector
investment, and creating nearly 9,600 new jobs,” Beshear said.
He explicitly painted his administration as “pro-job, pro-business and pro-union,” and “pro-public education.” Beshear also dove into housing affordability, a major focus of the 2026 Democratic playbook, and how it is part of the American dream, saying, “A home is where it lives.”
“Owning that home seems out of reach for too many Americans. In Kentucky, we’re doing better than most,” Beshear said. “Last year, Kentucky scored as one of the best states in the nation for home affordability. We’ve been recognized for our efforts to not just build affordable housing, but to build housing in Western and Eastern Kentucky for those impacted by natural disasters.”
The DGA head has addressed the notion of running for president several times, telling reporters that he will discuss 2028 with his family after the 2026 gubernatorial and midterm elections. But Wednesday night, he fed into the 2028 rumors with a hint at his political future.
“This is my seventh State of Commonwealth and my last Budget Address, in this job,” Beshear said with an emphasis on “this,” a smile, and a pause for audience applause.
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Beshear is one of many names being considered for the Democratic presidential ticket, which is still two years away from coming to fruition. Pundits are eyeing possible contenders such as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) , Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), and Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), many of whom have dropped hints of their own.
On the GOP side, pundits are looking at Vice President JD Vance, who has joked about, but not ruled out, President Donald Trump’s succession dream team of a Vance-Marco Rubio ticket.