Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, told reporters that he has no immediate plans to mount a challenge to Joe Biden’s re-election campaign—but made a soft pitch showcasing his own readiness for the job should the president decide to step down as the party’s nominee.
Beshear acknowledged the president had a “rough” night debating Donald Trump last Thursday, but also reiterated his support for Biden in a clip shared by CBS affiliate WLKY on Monday.
“The debate performance was rough,” he said. “It was a very bad night for the president, but he is still the candidate.
“Only he can make decisions about his future candidacy,” Beshear continued. “So as long as he continues to be in the race, I support him.”
The 46-year-old Kentuckian, a rising star in his party, cruised to a second gubernatorial term in 2023 and has received renewed attention from national media outlets in the wake of Biden’s miserable debate performance.
Viewed as someone with “intriguing bipartisan appeal,” having easily bested his Republican opponent in a ruby-red state where the president remains deeply unpopular, Beshear has appeared on several longlists of potential presidential contenders in recent days, including that of The New York Times and The Washington Post.
