Beshear’s PAC raised $200,000-plus in July

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear walks onstage before speaking during the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Aug. 19, 2024. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

FRANKFORT — Gov. Andy Beshear’s political action committee had a solid, though hardly spectacular, month of fundraising in July — a month that ended with Beshear still under consideration as a possible running mate by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Beshear’s PAC, called In This Together, reported to the Federal Election Commission this week that it raised $216,000 in July. It reported spending $43,400 during the month. All of that spending was for operating expenses — none directly for the stated purpose of the PAC to help elect “good candidates” in closely contested races both in and outside of Kentucky.

Since it was created by Beshear in early January, In This Together has reported raising $709,000 and spending $175,000. That left it with a balance of $534,000 as of Aug. 1.

The vast majority of its spending so far — $150,000 — has been on operating expenses, including fundraising consultants, political consultants, compliance consultants, lawyers.

Only about $25,000 so far has been given as contributions to campaigns supported by Beshear.

Eric Hyers, the PAC’s political strategist who managed both of Beshear’s successful campaigns for governor, did not respond to an email and phone call seeking comment on the PAC’s recent report.

Last month Hyers told Kentucky Lantern that from the outset In This Together planned to wait until the fall to do most of its spending to help endorsed candidates. And Hyers said most of that help would come in the form of independent expenditures supporting its candidates rather than direct contributions to the candidates’ campaign committees.

President Joe Biden’s announcement on July 21 that he would step out of the presidential campaign set off a chain of events that put Beshear into the national political spotlight.  Vice President Harris quickly emerged as the Democratic Party’s consensus nominee to replace Biden on the November ballot, and Beshear was among a handful of candidates Harris closely considered as her running mate. On Aug. 6, Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

In This Together’s recent report shows it got only about 15 percent of its contributions from people (not including political action committees) who live outside Kentucky. One donation of $1,000 came from Kevin Sobkoviak, identified in the FEC report as finance director of the Iowa Democratic Party.

The overwhelming majority of the money came from Kentucky, mostly from regular donors to Beshear political causes. For instance, several officials of engineering firms that hold state contracts were donors: Four people affiliated with Qk4 Inc., of Louisville, combined to give $8,000; two persons with EA Partners, of Lexington, combined to give $5,000; and seven persons with GRW Engineers, of Lexington, combined to give $5,200.

Who gave

Each of these people and political action committees are listed by In This Together as giving $5,000 during July:

Ann B. Bakhaus, Lexington, president Kentucky Eagle Inc.

Robert M. Beck Jr., Lexington, attorney, Stites & Harbison

GeMonee Brown, Bowling Green

Carpenters Legislative Improvement Council PAC, Washington, D.C.

Rodney Casada, Somerset

Charles J. Coldiron, Somerset, owner, Somerset Hyundai

Clay M. Corman, Nicholasville, owner, CMC Inc.

Timothy Crawford, Corbin, attorney

GAAT IT Inc., Beverly Hills

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC, Washington, D.C.

Anita P. Johnson, Pikeville, attorney, Law Office of Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson, Pikeville, attorney

Kentucky Hospital Association. PAC, Louisville

Kris Mays, Frankfort

Edward D. Necco, Cincinnati, president of Necco

Ralph J. Palmer, Winchester

Quatro Novarro Productions LLC, Austin

William Ramsey, Pikeville, real estate investor

John W. Ridley, Bowling Green

Anne Sheffer, Louisville, law firm manager, Sheffer & Monhollen

Ronald Sheffer, Louisville, attorney

Frank Shoop, Lexington

Glenn Thomas, Louisville, retired

Patricia B. Todd, Lexington

United Food & Commercial Workers Union PAC, Washington, D.C.

United Auto Workers Voluntary Community Action Program, Detroit

Windstream Holdings Federal PAC, Little Rock