Q&A: Who runs Kentucky if Harris picks Gov. Beshear as VP?

Vice President Kamala Harris has won pledges from enough delegates to secure a nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August. As her nomination is all but clinched, the veepstakes are underway; Who will join Harris on the ticket?

Several names have risen to the top, including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. And, most importantly for Kentuckians, Gov. Andy Beshear is apparently up there too .

With Beshear’s name increasingly appearing in national media, Kentuckians are wondering what would happen if the governor actually gets the nomination.

What would happen if Beshear was tapped to be the Democratic VP nominee?

If Beshear was selected and then agreed to run on Harris’s ticket, the governor would continue to serve out his term. Unlike in some states, like North Carolina , Beshear could continue to run the state while campaigning on the Harris ticket outside of Kentucky.

But Beshear’s term ends on Dec. 7, 2027 — nearly three years after the winner of this year’s presidential election would have to take office on Jan. 20, 2025.

Who would take over the governor’s mansion if Beshear is a) selected and b) wins?

If — and that’s several layers of “ifs” — Beshear left the governorship in the middle of his term for whatever reason (say, to become the vice president of the United States), the Kentucky Constitution is clear that Democratic Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman would take over as acting governor until the next gubernatorial election in 2027.

The Kentucky Lantern reported that Coleman said she is “ready” to take over the governorship should Beshear leave the office.

“The reason that [governors] pick a lieutenant governor is to have that succession plan in place, and they pick someone they believe is ready,” Coleman said. “And I wouldn’t have accepted if I didn’t think I was ready. And I don’t think the governor would have asked me if he didn’t think I was ready.”

How likely is it that Beshear is the VP pick anyways?

Beshear’s name has appeared frequently on short lists for the gig.

Beshear has certainly been getting his name out there in national press, and has not shut down any suggestions that he might be interested in joining Kamala Harris on the ticket. The Kentucky governor appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and CNN’s The Source Monday. Beshear himself has said in interviews that he has not yet received any vetting requests from the Harris campaign, as of Tuesday morning.

Pundits are weighing in on how Beshear would fare on the ticket as a relatively young (46-year-old), largely popular Democratic governor in a red state with a low national profile.

After his interview aired, Republican strategist and pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson said on CNN that Beshear would be the “do no harm” choice, that wouldn’t offend anyone but might not bring in a lot of voters.

Despite all the talk, Louisville Courier Journal columnist Joe Gerth considers Beshear’s chances at getting the offer to be decidedly low.

What has Beshear said? Is he interested in being VP?

Beshear is playing his cards fairly close to his chest, but has not closed himself off to being the Democratic party's vice presidential nominee.

“The only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country,” Beshear said on MSNBC Monday morning.

Beshear has also fiercely attacked former President Donald Trump’s running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance, perhaps foreshadowing how he would handle himself in debates and on the campaign trail. Monday morning, Beshear told MSNBC "JD Vance ain't from here" sparking a trend on social media.

When was the last time a Kentucky politician was on a major presidential ticket?

It’s been a hot minute since a Kentuckian was on a major U.S. presidential ticket.

In 1948, Democratic Sen. Alben W. Barkley joined President Harry S. Truman’s ticket and went on to serve as his vice president for one term. Kentuckians have, at times, had an outsized influence on Congressional politics (think Sen. Mitch McConnell), but have long been absent from runs for the White House.

Do you have questions or thoughts about how the presidential race may take place in Kentucky? Email sgoodman@lpm.org !

State government and politics reporting is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.