Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) said his newly released book is not intended to lay the groundwork for a potential 2028 White House bid, even as his national profile continues to grow ahead of the next presidential election.
Beshear’s book, Go and Do Likewise, went on sale Tuesday. The book focuses on his Christian faith and argues that faith should be used “as a force for good” and to provide hope during difficult times.
The book’s release comes as Beshear, a term-limited governor who cannot seek reelection in 2027, has been floated as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028.
In a recent interview with CNN’s The Source, interviewer Kaitlan Collins noted that politicians who publish books are often considering a presidential campaign.
“Well, I haven’t made any decision on that,” Beshear said, while rejecting the idea that the book was written as part of a future campaign.
“I didn’t write this book for anything in the future. I wrote this book because I was tired of people hijacking faith to hurt people instead of to help people,” Beshear said.
Beshear has nevertheless left open the possibility of a presidential campaign. In the past, he has said he is “comfortable” with the speculation but has emphasized that his immediate focus is the 2026 midterm elections and his role as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.
Beshear’s potential candidacy comes as Democrats face a wide-open field for 2028. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) have all appeared in early hypothetical Democratic primary polling, along with Beshear and several other potential contenders. Emerson College’s May national poll, for example, found Buttigieg at 18%, Newsom at 16%, Ocasio-Cortez at 11%, Shapiro and Harris at 10% each, and Beshear at 9%.
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Beshear has also distinguished himself by openly discussing his Christian faith at a time when Democrats are debating how the party should appeal to religious voters. His interpretation of Christianity has led him to anti-Trump positions while describing himself as a “proud pro-LGBTQ+ governor”
That message could be particularly notable given Beshear’s political record in Kentucky, a state that has become deeply Republican at the federal level. President Donald Trump carried Kentucky by roughly 30 percentage points in 2024, while Beshear won reelection as governor in 2023 by about 5 percentage points.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
