Beshear gets a warm embrace in flood-stricken parts of Kentucky where he and Trump are both popular

WAYLAND, Ky. — Kitty Holbrook gave Gov. Andy Beshear a hug before celebrating another milestone Friday in eastern Kentucky's recovery from historic flooding. The retired teacher thought it might be the last time she sees the rising Democratic star for some time if he's asked to join Vice President Kamala Harris' ticket.

“Either way, I’m happy with it," Holbrook said after the governor moved on to greet others in the crowd. "If he gets to stay here, I’m glad. But if he goes on, I’m real glad. If he did as good a job if he were vice president as he’s done for the state of Kentucky, it would be amazing.”

Beshear has proven his small-town political appeal in a region that doesn't hide its allegiance to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. A rarity in the current divided state of U.S. politics, this corner of Appalachia has demonstrated a willingness to embrace both the state’s Democratic governor and the nation’s Republican former president.

Signs for Trump can be as abundant as homegrown gardens dotting the Appalachian countryside, and the former president would remain an overwhelming favorite to carry the Bluegrass State in November even if Beshear joins the Democratic slate.

Still, in a state also known for its thoroughbreds, the political horse race for the second spot on the Democratic ticket was on the minds of some Kentuckians as they watched Beshear work the friendly eastern Kentucky crowd. They were gathered to watch as several families displaced by raging floodwaters two years ago checked out their new homes built on higher ground.

Floyd County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams told Beshear, “We've got our fingers crossed” for him as Harris zeroes in on choosing a running mate for her campaign against Trump. Beshear would be a good choice to help deliver Democrats' message in Middle America, Williams said later.

“These fly-over states, this is the guy that resonates,” Williams said. “He understands the issues that affect us every day. When you're sitting at the kitchen table with your family, he understands those issues.”

Beshear made several stops on Friday to monitor the ongoing recovery from the massive flood. In winning reelection last year, Beshear carried several Appalachian counties that were inundated by floodwaters in the summer of 2022, a bump many attributed to his handling of the massive recovery. While Beshear narrowly carried those counties, Trump won them in landslide fashion four years ago in losing the White House to President Joe Biden, and the Republican leader remains immensely popular here.

Local resident Rhonda Slone heaped praise on the Kentucky governor for leading the flood recovery but said she still plans to support Trump even if Beshear becomes Harris' pick for a running mate.

“I'm sorry, Andy, but I can't do it,” she said in an interview.

Slone said she especially likes Trump's tough stand on immigration. She blames Biden for higher prices at the grocery store and blames former Democratic President Barack Obama for the steep downturn in the eastern Kentucky coal economy. Both Obama and Biden have pushed policies to move the nation away from carbon fuels and toward clean energy sources in the effort to combat climate change.

“Trump is a fighter and he is for the people,” Slone said while chatting on her front porch.

Beshear's speech in the tiny Appalachian community included references to Scripture and how flood-ravaged communities rallied around those who lost homes and loved ones. It's similar to speeches the governor makes in the far western Kentucky communities ravaged by tornadoes in late 2021.

People helping others in need are “living out the Golden Rule that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, and the parable of the Good Samaritan that says everyone is our neighbor,” Beshear said Friday. "In a world that sometimes feels toxic, that we’re supposed to be against each other, you all have come together as one people to truly stand up for each other.”

Beshear pledged that his commitment to Kentucky's recovery from natural disasters will remain the same "no matter what role I’m in.” He deflected questions about Harris' decision-making process, keeping the focus on the new homes. Touring one of them as a family was moving in, he asked a child to “show me your room.”

Beshear later downplayed whether status as a red-state governor could hurt his chances of becoming Harris' choice for a running mate. Other leading contenders are from swing states, but Harris is considering a cross-section of candidates.

“I think just about every successful ticket going back to 2000 did not have someone in a swing state," Beshear told reporters. "I think in the end, this vice president is going to need to choose who she thinks would be the best running mate, somebody that can communicate to everyone, in swing states and outside.”