Kentucky governor rallies Arkansas Democrats, says party can compete and win in South

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has a three-step guide to winning in a typically Republican state, he told Arkansas Democrats at a Thursday night fundraising dinner.

“Focus, talk normal, and lead with your ‘why,’” he told an audience of about 200 people at the state Democratic Party’s Ballots, Blue Jeans & BBQ event in North Little Rock.

Beshear, who is widely considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, reminded the Arkansas audience that he won reelection by 5 percentage points in 2023, a year before 65% of Kentucky voters supported President Donald Trump’s reelection.

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“I am living, breathing proof that Democrats can win anywhere and we should be fighting everywhere, including right here in Arkansas,” Beshear said.

Republicans have held every statewide and federal office in Arkansas since 2014. Trump’s approval rating in Arkansas and nationwide has been declining, and state and national Democrats have said they expect to make inroads in next month’s midterm elections.

In a lively half-hour speech that ended with a standing ovation, Beshear said he’s often asked how he managed to win and retain office in the South. He said national Democrats have made southerners “forgotten and left out, even looked down on,” and state-level Democrats have a responsibility to change this perception of the party.

“We win by staying true to our values of compassion, of empathy, of doing right by our neighbors, and by focusing on people’s daily and most pressing needs,” he said.

He also said Democrats should “start talking like normal human beings again” in order to win over people who might not be inclined to hear them out.

“If we’re going to win both chambers [of Congress] and we’re going to turn that around, it’s not by saying kids are food insecure. It’s that they’re hungry,” Beshear said.

Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor noted while introducing Beshear that the Kentucky governor has “stood up for the things he believes in, sometimes when it’s hard to do and sometimes when it’s politically unpopular.”

Pryor served two terms in the Senate before losing reelection in 2014 to Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, who now faces a challenge from Democratic rival Hallie Shoffner.

Arkansas Democrats have expressed hope they can pull off an upset in November and have pointed to a poll indicating tight races for Senate and central Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District. But they still face an uphill challenge in the state, with Republicans heavily outspending them in top races.

Beshear has routinely vetoed bills passed by the majority-Republican Kentucky Legislature meant to target transgender children’s healthcare and participation in sports. He defended his vetoes in 2023 by saying, “My faith teaches me that all children are children of God.”

He said Thursday that the following day, “a guy in a trucker hat” told him he respected his decision and supported him even if he disagreed.

“That’s the day I learned that explaining our ‘why,’ having the respect for each and every voter, can create grace and space to not just be anti-this or pro-that and have a real conversation,” Beshear said.

Earlier on Thursday, Beshear promoted his recently published book, “Go and Do Likewise,” at the Central Arkansas Library System’s main branch in Little Rock. The book covers the intersection of Christianity and progressive politics. He also was in Bentonville for an announcement about maternal health grants Kentucky and Arkansas will receive.

Beshear has not confirmed rumors of a 2028 presidential run. He told Thursday’s audience that he expects the next president to be a Democrat, “whoever that may be.”

Beshear is among several potential 2028 Democratic hopefuls who have visited Arkansas in recent months. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have also made stops in the state.

Beshear touted his administration’s work to build affordable housing fueled by solar energy in an eastern Kentucky community devastated by flooding during his first term.

“Our job is to revive the American Dream and make sure it burns bright in the minds of the next generation,” Beshear said.

Courtesy of Arkansas Advocate