Kentucky in D.C.: Or this week, Kentucky in Milwaukee

Welcome back to Kentucky in D.C. — a weekly look at what members of our state's federal delegation have been up to.

Or, rather this week, welcome to Kentucky in Milwaukee.

It was a big week for Kentucky Republicans, as former president Donald Trump secured the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin for the November election. Not only that, Trump selected JD Vance — who has Kentucky ties — to be his vice-presidential running mate.

It was also a big week Democrats, as President Joe Biden announced Sunday he is ending his bid for reelection, opening the door for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to potentially be tapped as a vice president nominee.

Let's start with what to know about Vance and what went down for Kentucky at the convention.

How is Vance connected to Kentucky?

Well:

• Vance's grandparents lived in Jackson before moving to Ohio, and Vance spent his summers visiting his extended family in the Kentucky town.
• He was an early investor in, and served on the board of, AppHarvest, a Kentucky-based company that grows produce within indoor farms.
• His best-selling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" is based on his childhood and touches on his family's Appalachian roots.

Vance is touting his Kentucky roots, including a line in his speech at the RNC saying he hopes to be buried at a family cemetery in Breathitt County. Multiple Kentucky Republicans rushed to endorse Trump's pick, including Rep. Thomas Massie who called Vance "a great pick" for vice president.

To no surprise, the commonwealth also cast its 46 votes for Trump. There was a bit of commotion as Sen. Mitch McConnell faced boos from the crowd when he announced the delegate votes, but still smiled and gave a thumbs-up.

As Biden steps aside, does that mean Beshear could step in?

While Beshear's name has been floated around as a potential candidate for vice president, he has not publicly expressed interest in the role. Beshear has been tight-lipped on his future political aspirations and previously said he would only leave Kentucky's governorship if he felt like he "could help the commonwealth even more with some other opportunity."

Read more here to find out what Kentucky's governor has, and hasn't, said about a potential run for vice president.

Kentucky Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul also posted their reactions to the news on X.

Paul questioned in his post whether the news meant "chaos would ensue" for the Democratic Party.

In his post, McConnell said, "Washington Democrats have not proven themselves any more capable than the President of delivering the secure borders, safe streets, and stable prices that working families deserve."

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Morgan McGarvey had joined the list of Democrats calling for Biden to step aside as the party's presidential nominee. While McGarvey said previously the party is having "serious conversations" about Biden's candidacy, he released a statement on Friday saying the party can't risk the focus of the campaign being anything other than defeating former president Donald Trump.

“President Biden is a good man who cares deeply about the American people," McGarvey said. "I trust that he will do what’s best for the nation, and we will come together as Democrats to move the country forward.”

What's happening in Washington D.C.?

McConnell calls for new leadership for the Secret Service: McConnell is one of many Republicans scrutinizing leadership at the Secret Service for its response during the assassination attempt on former president Trump. In a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, McConnell said the "nation deserves answers and accountability," and a step in that direction would be appointing new leadership in the institution. President Joe Biden appointed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in August 2022.

Meanwhile, Rep. James Comer asked Cheatle to testify in front of the House Oversight Committee, and she is expected to appear in a hearing in front of the committee Monday.

Rep. Andy Barr also weighed in calling for Cheatle's immediate resignation in a post on X.

Kentucky's delegation, in addition to other state politicians, expressed thoughts and prayers for the former president after he was rushed off the stage during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Check out what they had to say here .

"None of this is normal: " Those were Rep. Morgan McGarvey's first words in a statement he released on the dismissal of Trump's classified court case. McGarvey said Judge Cannon was incapable of handling the case impartially and called for the decision to be appealed.

"This new ruling is troubling and concerning and throws out all judicial precedence," McGarvey said. "From Watergate to now, the legality of appointing special counsels — which has been put in practice by both Democrats and Republicans — is clear and constitutional."

Rep. Brett Guthrie wants to block Biden's Title IX rule: Guthrie reiterated his support on the House measure that would prevent President Biden's revisions of Title IX taking effect. Included in the Biden Administration's plan is codifying protections for LGBTQ+ students and reversing Trump-era guidelines on how college campuses can handle sexual assault and harassment cases.

Guthrie said on X he was proud to support the GOP's resolution because it "protects and preserves" women's sports.

Social media posts of the week

Man's best friend: There's a new farm dog in the Massie family. Rep. Thomas Massie introduced 'Possum on X, who is a Blue Heeler/Australian Shepherd mix. He's already claiming his territory and marked a broken tree limb to warn animals like deer, squirrels and other animals.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky in D.C.: Or this week, Kentucky in Milwaukee