Vance 'ain't from here,' Kentucky Gov. Beshear says while endorsing Harris for president

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced his "full endorsement" for Vice President Kamala Harris as the next president in an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe early Monday.

"The vice president is smart and strong, which will make her a good president," Beshear said. "But she also is kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president. And the contrast between her and those running on the other side couldn't be clearer."

Beshear was referencing former President Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance, who Beshear said calls "pregnancy rising from rape inconvenient, (which is) just plain wrong."

The governor's name has been floated among a handful of Democrats as a potential vice president candidate, after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek the party's nomination and would endorse Harris for president, instead.

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When asked on Morning Joe if the Harris campaign has reached out about Beshear running for vice president, he said, "I don't know how that process is going to work, (but) it's flattering to be a part of it."

"I think if somebody calls you on that, then what you do is at least listen, and I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like, cause JD Vance ain't from here," Beshear said.

Beshear's interview on Morning Joe is his first media appearance since Biden's announcement.

In a statement released Sunday, he said Biden's decision could not have been easy but was in the best interest of the country and the Democratic Party. He also said Biden will be remembered as a "consequential president" for leading the country through the Jan. 6 insurrection and COVID-19 pandemic.

“(Biden) showed up for Kentucky after devastating tornadoes and historic flooding, delivering immediate federal aid that is helping to rebuild our communities,” Beshear said in the statement. “His leadership provided infrastructure investments that are bringing clean drinking water and high speed internet to parts of Kentucky that for far too long had been overlooked and underserved.”

Others in consideration for the vice presidential pick, according to reports, include North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

Beshear met with other Democratic governors earlier this month at the White House after the Biden's poor debate performance to discuss concerns over the president's health. During the meeting, Beshear called for Biden to speak directly to the American people about his health.

After the June presidential debate, Beshear was among a few Democrats that national outlets listed as potential candidates as a replacement for Biden, with others including Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @[email protected] or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JD Vance 'ain't from here,' Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says