Democratic governor outlines steps for party to regain American trust

Manchester, New Hampshire – Democratic Governor Andy Beshear is not sugarcoating the work ahead of his party because he aims to escape the political wilderness.

“I have a lot of hope for the Democratic Party, but I’m also honest enough to say that the Democratic Party has a lot of work to do,” Beshear told about 100 Democratic politicians, officials and activists this week during a stop in New Hampshire. “The Democratic Party has to regain the trust of the American people.”

Beshear, the two-term governor of the red state of Kentucky, is launching his election campaign, helping his fellow Democrats run in the elections next November and in next year’s midterm elections.

His mission comes at a time when Democrats are working to recover after the setbacks they suffered at the polls last year, when they lost control of the White House and the Senate and failed to regain the majority in the House of Representatives. They also lost popularity to Republicans among black, Latino and young voters, all of whom are traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base.

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This year, a series of polls issued red flags for Democrats, as the party’s approval ratings fell to all-time lows.

“First, we have to spend 80% of our time on things that matter to 100% of Americans,” Beshear said, outlining his three steps Democrats must take for political salvation.

Beshear said Democrats should also “talk to people like normal people” instead of “talking down to people.”

His third step is to focus less on policy details and more on voter activation. “We’re really good at identifying the ‘what,’ but we’re not very good at talking about the ‘why,’” he said.

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Beshear, the son of former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, was elected state attorney general before narrowly beating Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in a gubernatorial showdown in 2019. He won re-election as governor two years ago.

The moderate Democrat currently serves as vice president of the Democratic Governors Association and will serve as president of the DGA next year.

Democratic incumbent Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joins his wife Britney Beshear, right, Kentucky Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, center left, and his family as he delivers his victory speech to a crowd at an Election Night event at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall on November 7, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Steven Cohen/Getty Images)

Beshear traveled to New Hampshire the day before a campaign stop in Virginia, where he campaigned on behalf of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial nominee.

New Jersey and Virginia are the only states that hold gubernatorial contests in the year following a presidential election, meaning the races traditionally garner significant national attention.

The showdowns at the ballot box this year are seen as crucial early tests of President Donald Trump’s popularity and his second-term agenda, and are considered key gauges ahead of next year’s midterm elections, when majorities in the House and Senate are up for grabs.

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“I think both Virginia and New Jersey are races that we’re going to win, and we’re going to win by providing Americans with a vision. A vision that the American dream is still achievable. A Democratic governor can provide good jobs, and he can make things affordable for everyone,” Beshear said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Looking forward to next year, when he takes over the DGA leadership, Bashir said: “I will work to win as many races as possible.”

Beshear’s trip to New Hampshire, which more than a century ago held the nation’s first presidential primary, sparked further speculation about his national ambitions in 2028, when a large swath of Democrats are expected to run for their party’s presidential nomination.

Democratic Governor Andy Beshear greets activists and party officials, during an event in Manchester, New Hampshire, on October 7, 2025 (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News)

The Kentucky governor spent his entire day Tuesday in New Hampshire, where he chaired a fundraiser in Concord for state House Democrats, a happy hour in Manchester for the city’s Democrats, and a house party in Nashua hosted by a state senator.

It was his second trip to New Hampshire in a year, after he delivered a keynote speech at the party’s major fundraiser in the fall of 2024. The latest trip to New Hampshire followed his stop earlier this year in South Carolina, another key early voting state on the Democratic presidential primary calendar.

Unlike other potential White House candidates, Beshear admits he is considering a 2028 bid.

In response to a question about running in 2028, Beshear confirmed to Fox News that after next year’s midterm elections, “my family and I will sit down” to decide whether to run for president.

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“When I look at my job now, I want to be a voice of reason and common ground, in this crazy partisan climate that we’re seeing now, to try to get people focused on the things that are most important to our families,” said Beshear, who pushes a vision of inclusivity.

Looking ahead to the upcoming presidential election, Bashir said: “What is most important to me is that we have a candidate who can heal the country. We have a lot of these things. It is us against them. Our neighbor is not our enemy, and we have to realize that even if we disagree with them, we want what is best for them, and we really want their children to have a great life.”