Gov. Andy Beshear has seemingly concluded that his chances of winning the White House in 2028 are at least as good as his chances of winning the Senate in the forthcoming midterm election. So, he is understandably showing no interest in the Senate. All indications so far point to his running for president. His apparent conclusion makes a lot of sense.
A recent joint op-ed in this newspaper by two great friends of democracy, none other than the legendary Christina Lee Brown and Ambassador Tod Sedgwick, exhorts Beshear to run for Senate, not president. But I beg to differ with the luminary duo.
Their main argument is that Beshear will be effective in confronting Trumpism in the Senate. Of course, he will be. But will he not be helpful to the American values when he, as president, quashes the effects of four years of a corrosive presidency and restores the institutional order, the backbone of democracy?
Letter: Andy Beshear could win McConnell’s Senate seat, but he’d be better as president.
A Beshear run for Senate would be overshadowed by Trump
Another powerhouse of intellect and erudition, Marc Murphy, also thinks Beshear should seek the Senate seat, not the Oval Office, writing, “The Senate seat is almost certainly his [Beshear’s] for the taking.” Murphy then goes on to state, “the White House is almost certainly out of his [Beshear’s] reach, for many reasons,” one of which he says is Beshear’s “much-hyped Red State electoral success” that “came against two of the weakest opponents imaginable while he carried the most valuable surname in, perhaps, Kentucky history.”
Why does Murphy think those factors will help Beshear win the Senate seat but will hamper his presidential bid? If you carry a valuable surname in your state, its value soon goes national, once you effectively (the operative word) declare your national intentions. The key is to hit the ground running.
Let us not ignore that Trump will definitely get involved with the midterm campaigns, not just in Kentucky but in many states, wanting to maintain or increase the number of his supporters in Congress. Considering that the Kentucky voters are in love with Trump, they’ll be reluctant to ignore Trump’s endorsement of any candidate.
Already, two candidates are vying for Trump’s endorsement. Whomever he endorses will almost certainly win. So, why should Beshear place himself in a situation that will be almost totally overshadowed by Trump?
In the presidential election, however, Trump’s endorsement of a candidate will have diluted negative effect on Beshear’s presidential campaign — if one materializes — as all states will be in the picture. As we all know, in the presidential election, it generally comes down to the battleground states. And depending on Beshear’s strategy, he may win them. My feeling is the voters in those states are upset because of the recent erosion of America’s legendary institutional order.
Opinion: Beshear should be KY’s next Democratic senator, not the next president.
Beshear can win the presidency by establishing a powerful brand
The Gov. Andy Beshear and Chef Ed Lee plan a cook off against each other on Thanksgiving at the third day of Bourbon and Beyond on Saturday. Sept 13, 2025
Those who have suggested — through op-eds or letters to the editor — that Beshear’s senatorial bid will make more sense than his presidential bid are ignoring the power of dreams and a stark possibility: If Beshear loses in his Senate bid, his political capital will diminish to the point that his presidential aspirations may take a severe blow. The antagonists will question the presidential ambitions of someone who lost the senate race in his state.
But even if Beshear loses his bid for president, he may still be presidential material in 2032. Kamala Harris may run in 2028, too. There was a reason she wrote “107 Days.” Ronald Reagan ran for president twice before winning in his 1980 presidential bid.
If Beshear runs for president, and I am almost certain he will and should, he can be a formidable candidate. But it all depends on his campaign strategy. If he basically focuses on collecting campaign funds and spending them, as Harris did in 2024, it won’t work.
The way to hit the ground running is first to establish a powerful brand. If the brand speaks for itself, it can even help his party regain control of Congress next year. That will be the way to confront Trumpism not only without sacrificing his presidential ambitions, but giving them a big boost. So, it is crucial he starts the brand-creation work soon. “The power of now” is his for the taking.
Letter: Beshear has the looks and wit of a president. He just needs a good running mate.
We should support making Beshear’s presidential dreams come true
With an effective brand, the nomination will be his “for the taking.” And considering the weak spots of two most probable Republicans to run for president — JD Vance and Marco Rubio — he may win in November 2028.
The reality is that the chances of Beshear’s success in his presidential bid will depend on the energy he injects into the campaign, and as his two electoral victories show us, he is fully capable of being energetic and focused.
No Democrat should try to talk Beshear out of seizing the opportunity to seek the White House. Clearly, that is his dream. We should support him as he goes about making it come true. Dreams emerge and reside in a dreamer’s heart and soul. They cannot be manufactured in others’ thought processes.
Agree or disagree? Submit a letter to the editor.
Siddique Malik is an observer of sociopolitical and international affairs. He has made occasional op-ed contributions to the Courier Journal for the past two decades. Find him @TheSummerOf1787.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY Gov Beshear presidential run can work with a strong brand | Opinion
