Kentucky’s Andy Beshear is on a shortlist of governors being mentioned as possible running mates for Kamala Harris in the event that President Joe Biden withdraws from the 2024 White House race, according to multiple Democrats.
Former Congressman John Yarmuth, a Louisville Democrat close to the Beshear family and Democratic Party officials across the country, told the Herald-Leader Thursday Beshear is among a small number of governors being eyed by national Democrats as a No. 2 for Harris if she becomes the presidential nominee.
The two other governors most frequently cited alongside Beshear are Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro and North Carolina’s Roy Cooper.
“I’ve heard Andy and Cooper,” Yarmuth said. “I’m sure Shapiro would be considered too.”
Yarmuth represented Kentucky’s 3rd Congressional District from 2007-2023. The district encompassed most of metro Louisville in Jefferson County.
The swirling speculation about the future of Biden, Harris and Beshear comes as Donald Trump formally became the 2024 Republican nominee in Milwaukee Thursday night, bolstered by an energized party that appeared further unified following the assassination attempt just days ago.
Beleaguered by unsteady public appearances, a flood of bad polls and increased calls for him to leave the ticket, Biden is reportedly seriously weighing whether to withdraw from the 2024 contest and could make a decision within days.
If he does drop out, Vice President Harris would most likely ascend as the front-runner to replace him.
“If you twisted my arm I would say (Biden) should step aside, although there are risks both ways,” Yarmuth acknowledged.
But the former Louisville congressman said if Biden dropped, “it would have to be Harris,” who replaced him at the top of the ticket.
“We can’t wait another month,” Yarmuth said, referring to the prospect of an open nominating process to conclude at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Other national outlets, including The Hill and political commentator Mark Halperin’s newsletter , also have reported Beshear as a top contender for the No. 2 slot.
A Democratic operative in Kentucky, who spoke on background to protect private conversations, confirmed to the Herald-Leader Beshear is aware he is in the running for a place on the 2024 ticket, a scenario considered unfathomable for the second-term red state governor even a month ago.
Elaine Kamarck, a Democratic National Committeewoman from Massachusetts also told the Herald-Leader Beshear, Cooper and Shapiro “are mentioned by lots of people” in the party.
A top adviser to Beshear did not respond to a text message seeking comment.
Earlier this month, Beshear did not rule out leaving the governorship for national office when questioned about Biden’s faltering candidacy.
“The only way I would ever consider anything other than this job, which I love, is if I felt I could help this commonwealth in special and important ways,” Beshear said, responding to a question by the Herald-Leader.
Beshear was in Washington last week to raise money for his leadership PAC and hobnob with Democratic lobbyists, who could become future donors. Organizers say the events were planned months in advance, prior to Biden’s debate debacle and the mounting calls from Democrats for the president to step aside.
If the 46-year-old Beshear managed to be selected for the Democratic ticket, it would set up a match-up with GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, who also claims deep Kentucky roots. At the Republican National Convention on Thursday night, Vance declared he would be buried on a family plot in eastern Kentucky.
Beshear’s name has been swirling beyond the commonwealth even before he earned a second term by vanquishing Attorney General Daniel Cameron last November.
Ten months ago, former North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue said Beshear fit the prototype of a “moderate, middle-of-the-road” Democrat unbeholden to the far left.
“I do think he can be vice president,” she said.
‘He can be vice president’: Could Andy Beshear be a model for national Democrats?
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