GREENVILLE, S.C. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday kicked off a two-day trek through South Carolina as he joins a growing list of possible 2028 Democratic presidential contenders visiting the early nominating state.
At the state AFL-CIO convention, Beshear split his remarks between introducing himself and laying out his own blueprint for how he says Democrats need to message to win elections.
Candidates shouldn't solely focus on President Donald Trump, he said. And, the Democratic governor from a red state added, Democrats need to use language that actual everyday voters use.
"We simply must be a party that more Americans want to join," Beshear told dozens of union representatives and members. "We need language that actually reflects people's everyday life."
The 47-year-old term-limited governor didn't outright say whether he'll run for president in 2028.
But he has not ruled out the idea.
With a few years to go until the wide open presidential election, Beshear said he plans to hit the road to help elect Democrats in the midterms.
"I'm here in South Carolina this week for three reasons: the AFL invited me, the Georgetown Dems invited me and my son has a baseball tournament here at the end of the weekend in (Charleston) South Carolina," Beshear said.
"I'm traveling more because I'm trying to be a common sense, common ground, get-things-done type of voice that can pull not just Democrats back together, but hopefully pull Republicans and Independents together too" to respond to voters' everyday needs and get results, he added.
Beshear is the latest Democrat with potential higher political aspirations to visit the state that includes Govs. Wes Moore, Gavin Newsom and Tim Walz and, later this week, California Congressman Ro Khanna.
This story will be updated.
