Democratic governor outlines steps for party to regain American trust

MANCHESTER, N.H. -Democratic Governor Andy Beshear is not sugar-coating the work ahead as his party aims to escape political brutality.

“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. The Democratic Party needs to regain the faith of the American people,” Beshear told about 100 Democratic politicians, officials and activists during a stop in New Hampshire this week.

Beshear, the two-term governor of the red state of Kentucky, is hitting the campaign trail and helping his fellow Democrats compete in this November and next year’s midterm elections.

His appointment comes as Democrats try to rebound from setbacks at the ballot box last year, when they lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to regain the House majority. They also lost ground to Republicans among Black, Hispanic and younger voters, all of whom are traditional members of the Democratic Party base.

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This year, a number of polls have sounded red flags for Democrats as the party’s positive ratings have fallen to all-time lows.

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

Beshear said Democrats should “talk to people like normal people” rather than “belittle people.”

His third step is to focus less on policy details and more on mobilizing voters. “We’re really good at talking about the ‘what,’ but we’re not so 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 edging out Republican Gov. Matt Bevin by a razor-thin margin in the 2019 gubernatorial showdown. He was re-elected governor two years ago.

The moderate Democrat currently serves as vice president of the Democratic Executives Association and will take over as DGA president next year.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky is joined by his wife, Britainy Beshear (R), Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman (center left), and family as he delivers his victory speech to the crowd at an election night event at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall on November 7, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)

The day before his campaign stop in Virginia, Beshear traveled to New Hampshire, where he campaigned on behalf of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for governor.

New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold gubernatorial contests in the year after a presidential election; This means that the races traditionally attract a lot of national attention.

And this year’s ballot box showdowns are seen as important early tests of President Donald Trump’s popularity and second-term agenda, and important barometers ahead of next year’s midterm elections that will win majorities in the House and Senate.

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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 attainable. That a Democratic governor can deliver good jobs, make jobs more affordable,” Beshear said in an interview with Fox News Digital. Beshear said.

Looking ahead to next year when he takes over the wheel of the DGA, Beshear said, “I’m going to try to win as many races as possible.”

Beshear’s visit to New Hampshire, which is holding the nation’s first presidential primary in more than a century, has sparked further speculation about his national goals in 2028, when a large group of Democrats are expected to run for their party’s presidential nomination.

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

Kentucky’s governor spent all of Tuesday in New Hampshire; He headlined a fundraiser in Concord for state House Democrats, a happy hour in Manchester for City Democrats and a house party in Nashua hosted by a state senator.

This was his second trip to New Hampshire in a year, after delivering the keynote address for the state party’s big 2024 fall fundraising gala. The latest trip to New Hampshire follows a visit earlier this year to South Carolina, another key early voting state on the Democratic Party’s presidential primary calendar.

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

When asked on Fox News whether he would run in 2028, Beshear reiterated that he would decide whether to run for president after next year’s midterm elections, saying “my family and I will sit down.”

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Touting his vision of inclusivity, Beshear said, “When I look at what my job is right now, in this crazy partisan environment that we’re seeing right now, I want to be a common-sense, common-ground voice to get people to focus on the things that matter most to our families.”

And looking ahead to the next presidential election, Beshear said: “The most important thing to me is that we have a candidate who can make the country better. We are very much against them. Our neighbor is not our enemy, and even if we disagree with them, we have to recognize that we want the best for them and we really want their children to have a great life.”