Gov. Andy Beshear hints at a presidential run during church visit

Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear hinted at a possible run for presidency Sunday during what was billed as a Sunday school session at St. Stephen Baptist Church in Louisville.

Beshear was a special guest teacher for the Men’s Day Sunday School Class, and spent much of the session touting his recent book, Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country. Gilbert Corsey, an anchor for local news outlet WDRB-TV, emceed the event and remarked that Beshear’s memoir read almost like a cover letter for the highest office in the country.

Beshear characterized the 2023 gubernatorial race as hard and nasty. He recalled telling his wife he would never have to run for anything again, but said he no longer felt that way, suggesting he would consider running for another office.

What did he say about President Donald Trump and his faith? Beshear, a professing Christian, said he had seen his faith hijacked by President Trump, arguing that Trump fostered hate rather than love. He then pointed to the parable of the good Samaritan, the central focus of his book, and questioned whether Trump had ever read it because, in Beshear’s words, he did not live by it. He then pointed out that the good Samaritan in the parable ended up paying for the future care of the man he rescued, suggesting that the parable supported free or inexpensive health care. He said that Jesus always made sure people had enough, citing the feeding of the 5,000 miracle. Beshear went on to accuse Trump of kicking people off of food stamps, an act he said was not Christian. He said that only Christians who practice good works, or members of any other faith who do the same, should be elected into office.

What do conservative Christian critics have to say of Beshear’s leadership? Beshear has faced ongoing criticism by some for his actions during the lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. In April 2020, he ordered Kentucky State Police troopers to record the license plate numbers of churchgoers who attended in-person Easter services and place notices on their vehicles, ordering them to self-quarantine for two weeks. The restrictions applied to other mass gatherings as well.

Beshear has also faced criticism from many professing Christians for his failure to adhere to a Biblical view of marriage. Additionally, his ban on so-called conversion therapy in 2024 for individuals struggling with same-sex attraction was criticized by some for being so broad that it prohibited Christian counselors from providing Biblical guidance to patients who struggled with unwanted feelings. Many conservative Christians have also called out Beshear for his pro-abortion stances.

Dig deeper: Listen to Travis K. Kircher’s report on Beshear’s ban on so-called conversion therapy in 2024.