Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear not selected as Harris' running mate

After several weeks of intense speculation and excitement among Democrats in the Bluegrass State, Vice President Kamala Harris has announced her running mate in the presidential election — and it's not Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Presumptive Democratic nominee Harris instead chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Reuters reported citing CNN on Tuesday.

Beshear said in post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was honored to be considered in the process and supported Walz as the vice presidential candidate.

"Tim Walz is a great friend and a great choice," Beshear wrote. "I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect Kamala Harris as our next President of the United States."

Beshear’s record of winning three statewide races, first as attorney general and then as governor, in deeply red Kentucky had attracted attention from Democrats nationwide and put him on the list as a vice presidential contender.

Subsequent media appearances where Beshear criticized Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance for profiting from his ties to Appalachia raised hopes that Beshear might provide a useful add to the Democratic ticket.

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And though it was clear from the start that Beshear would not likely help Democrats pick up Kentucky’s eight electoral college votes, some analysts said the Gen X governor could help the party pick up votes in other midwestern battleground states.

What’s next for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear?

Despite not getting the vice presidential nod, Beshear will likely continue to campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket.

He’s slated to the attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from Aug. 19 – 22.

It’s also clear Beshear has been looking ahead for his political future.

Even prior to the speculation surrounding the Democrats’ vice presidential pick reaching fever pitch in July, the second term Kentucky governor had started taking steps to build his national profile.

For example, he founded a national political action committee called In This Together aimed at helping elect Democrats in red and purple states, and he booked appearances at other states’ Democratic events.

Those activities got put on fast forward during the Democrats’ veepstakes, with Beshear making multiple cable news appearances and traveling to a Republican county in the battleground state of Georgia to rally Harris volunteers, alongside Kentucky abortion rights advocate Hadley Duvall.

Beshear also picked up the endorsement of progressive Democrats from other states, who urged Harris to pick him or Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the vice presidential nominee.

All of those steps — whether directly aimed at helping Beshear get the vice presidential pick or not — will help Beshear’s future career, University of Kentucky political scientist Steven Voss told The Courier Journal.

Due to Kentucky’s term limits, Beshear will not be able to run for governor again when his term ends in 2027.

Building his national name recognition and his credibility with Democratic insiders could set Beshear up for a cabinet nomination or to be chosen to run a think tank or other prominent institution. Since he is a lawyer, Beshear could also go on to a work on high profile cases or be a lobbyist in Washington, Voss said.

Beshear might even be considering a 2026 run for senate, if Sen. Mitch McConnell does not run again, suggested Democratic campaign manager Danny Briscoe. However, Beshear does not want to run for that role, said his political strategist Eric Hyers.

Asked what Beshear will do when his term ends in 2028, Hyers said, "I'm not sure he's got those plans yet."

Reach Rebecca Grapevine at rgrapevine@courier-journal.comor follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @RebGrapevine.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear not picked as Democrats' VP nominee