“You can be a fighter without being the Democratic version of Trump,” said Beshear, who speaks in a bit of a staccato voice. “You can push back and be effective and a strong fighter without screaming because I was always taught that if one person is screaming and another person screams back at him, nobody hears anything.”

As they gear up for 36 governors races in 2026, Democrats will have some wind at their back following recent wins in Virginia and New Jersey. When those outcomes are included, the party holds 24 governorships. Beshear pledged DGA support in Iowa and listed Georgia and Nevada as states he thinks Democrats can flip from Republican to Democratic governors.

The governor said Democrats need to focus 80% of their time on things that matter to 100% of people. “I hope we’ve learned that everyone is struggling to pay the bills, and it is most important to you no matter which party and no matter which group you’re in,” he said.