KENTUCKY — Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday, Aug. 12 as her running mate, ending the weeks-long, so-called “veepstakes.” This decision meant Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., was not being included on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket.
During this “In Focus Kentucky” segment, several Republican and Democrats from around Kentucky, weigh in on the recent national buzz surrounding Beshear and the newly formed Democratic ticket.
“I’ve got to be honest; I’m a little disappointed it’s not the home team,” said Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport. “But if it’s not Andy, then I think Gov. Walz is a brilliant choice that the vice president has made as her running mate.”
Andrew Westberry, spokesman for the Republican Party of Kentucky, said he was not surprised Kamala Harris did not choose Beshear.
“He has no real policy wins,” Westberry said. “They do a really good job of crafting this ‘aw, shucks’ image where they’re going out and they’re saying, ‘Look at this; look at that.’ But when you really distill it down and look at what he was involved in, there’s nothing.”
“I think you probably used the right word. I think he was floated. But this becomes the politics numbers, and this is going to be a Trump state, whether you like him or not. I’m being analytical, not political. It’s going to be a Trump state. You got to get electoral votes. And there weren’t any electoral votes here for that ticket to get so think it was floated, but not serious in consideration,” said State Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester.
“What a great thing for Kentucky and what a great thing for politics in Kentucky to have us in the national spotlight in such a positive way. I think it speaks to not only what Andy Beshear has done here in Kentucky, and his incredible leadership here, and everything from emergency management to covid to jobs and economic development and education, but also to his personality and the way he’s done it his way. So it was great to not only see him in consideration, but see him in consideration until the very last minute. He was really one of the finalists for this job. And so I was rooting for him the entire time. And, of course, you know, when you’re rooting for somebody, you want to see them get it, and I think a lot of Kentuckians would have been thrilled with Andy Beshear being picked by Vice President Harris. But, of course, I think she’s also made a great choice in Governor Tim Walz,” explained U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville.
You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.