Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear railed against the acrimony of national politics Wednesday night as he called for a commonsense approach to governing that meets the everyday needs of families worried about access to affordable health care and the availability of good-paying jobs.
Beshear, who has raised his national profile since winning reelection in 2023 in the GOP-dominated state, touted Kentucky’s record-setting pace of economic development and infrastructure improvements resulting in better roads, cleaner water and expanded access to high-speed internet. Those achievements were the result of “pushing out that national noise” and finding common ground, he said.
The governor’s most pointed comments were aimed at the national political discourse as he delivered his annual State of the Commonwealth speech at the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort.
“Yes, there are a lot of big, important issues facing our country,” Beshear said. “But if you’re staring at the cost of your child’s prescription and wondering how you’re going to pay for both it and your family’s dinner, the offense of the day in Washington just doesn’t seem that important.”
Continuing one of his favorite themes, Beshear said that most Americans aren’t thinking about politics at the start of every day. Instead, he said, they wake up thinking about their jobs, their children’s education, their family’s next doctor’s appointment and the safety of their communities.
“We must stay laser-focused on creating better jobs, more affordable and accessible health care, safer roads and bridges, and the very best education for our children,” Beshear said. “Let’s continue to make sure our communities are places where our people aren’t just safer but also feel safer.
“Let’s let our positive actions speak louder than the nasty words we hear on TV or that we read online,” he said. “And we can do this simply by focusing on the core areas where we can and we should find common ground.”
During his first term, Beshear mostly avoided criticizing Donald Trump, not wanting to rile Bluegrass State voters who overwhelmingly support the former president who is now headed back to the White House. Beshear took a more aggressive tone against Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance last year while unsuccessfully vying for his party’s vice presidential nod and then as a campaign surrogate for the Democratic ticket.
Beshear, who is term-limited, has had a strained relationship with the GOP-led legislature at times, and there were plenty of empty seats in the House chamber for his speech. Republican lawmakers say Beshear has taken credit for economic development successes that they say are the result of business-friendly policies passed by the legislature, sometimes over Beshear’s opposition.
“Probably the governor’s single-largest legislative accomplishment has been the fact that we override his vetoes,” Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne, a Republican, said in an interview on Kentucky Educational Television after Beshear’s speech.
In his remarks, the governor continued pushing for state-funded preschool for every 4-year-old in Kentucky — a proposal that has made no headway in the legislature.
“Pre-K provides proven, lifelong gains,” Beshear said. “And right now, folks, we’re failing our kids. More than half of Kentucky’s kids – 54% – are showing up for kindergarten unprepared.”
In a speech that largely focused on reaching across the political divide, Beshear called on Republicans to accept the results of a pivotal school-choice measure on the statewide ballot last November. Kentucky voters soundly rejected the measure, which would have allowed lawmakers to allocate public tax dollars to support students attending private or charter schools. Beshear led opposition to the measure.
The message from voters was clear. “Public dollars are for public schools,” Beshear said Wednesday evening. He urged lawmakers to “stop the voucher nonsense. Let’s stop the end-run through tax shelters. Instead, let’s roll up our sleeves and let’s do the hard work to strengthen and improve our public schools.”
The speech comes as Beshear’s national profile has continued to grow. Democratic governors recently picked Beshear as chair-elect of the Democratic Governors Association for 2026, meaning he will take a lead role in his party’s efforts to win governorships in the midterm election, including a crucial set of presidential swing states.
Beshear accepted an invitation to speak at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a global event that brings together business, government and academic leaders. Beshear has said it’s an opportunity to promote Kentucky on the global stage. It also could boost his reputation as his name comes up amid early speculation about potential Democratic contenders for the White House in 2028.
The Associated Press
