FRANKFORT, Ky. — Off the campaign trail and back in Frankfort Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., thanked the voters who gave him four more years.

“Each and every person out there, thank you for believing in us,” he said, from the Capitol rotunda. “We believe in you, too.” 

Beshear fended off Republican challenger Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who had attempted to tie Beshear to President Joe Biden and criticized the governor’s response to violent crime, the COVID-19 pandemic and his veto of anti-trans legislation.  

“I think what you saw last night was a rejection of anger politics, of attempting to divide us and of gross partisanship,” said Beshear. “People are tired of the constant bickering, of seeing the world in red or blue or Team D or Team R. I think everybody who runs for office ought to come with the very best ideas about how to move us forward.”

Beshear, who has touted major economic development and infrastructure projects on the campaign trail, promised more “big things” to come.

“That begins with the educator raises that are absolutely critical for moving our state forward,” said Beshear. “The second piece is universal pre-K. It’s time to make sure that no Kentucky child starts kindergarten behind.”

Beshear will once again face a Republican supermajority in the House and Senate and lawmakers can still override his vetoes.

In a statement Wednesday, Republican Senate President Robert Stivers congratulated Beshear, but said in part, “I am hopeful that in his second term … the Governor will choose to work collaboratively with his co-equal branch of government … Our constituents can remain confident we will bring forth legislation to protect Kentucky families from some of the extreme agendas of the Beshear and Biden administrations.”

Beshear said his office would double its efforts to build relationships to get things done with the legislature, but “the phone works both ways.”

The next legislative session begins in January.