LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Vice President Kamala Harris' vetting process of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear as a potential running mate appears to be in full swing, according to ABC News sources, reaction continues to pour in -- including from Kentucky Republicans.
"I wish the governor well, as he's auditioning to be the next vice president of the United States," Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said. "I think it looks good for Kentucky to have a Kentucky candidate, a Kentucky politician in the conversation."
Adams sat down for an interview with WHAS11 on Tuesday to discuss whether he thinks Beshear is a viable candidate to be Harris' running mate on a presidential ticket.
"I do think he's in the mix. I'm hearing that from Washington. I have no idea who will get it -- the Democrats would know better than I do. But I can certainly see their case. Their case would be here's the one Democrat in America who won the votes of one out of eight registered Republicans in a Trump plus-25 state," Adams said. "That's got to at least get their attention I would think."
Adams believes Beshear is in the hunt not because he can carry Kentucky to vote blue, which is highly unlikely, but rather because of his messaging abilities and a sense of balance he'd provide to the ticket.
Experts like Adams say the state constitution is 'not entirely clear' about how the process would work if Beshear were to leave his seat early, leaving some of it up to interpretation by the Secretary of State's office.
"Our constitution is not a model of clarity... It's been amended many, many times," he said. "What is clear is that If the Governor were to resign for any reason – including becoming the vice president -- then the powers of his office would devolve to Jacqueline Coleman, the Lieutenant Governor."
Adams says the key difference is while Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman would act as governor, she'd still carry her current title -- meaning she would not have the power to appoint a second-in-command herself.
"I do think she gets the full powers of governor, and I do think she gets the entirety of the remainder of Beshear’s term -- which would be through the end of 2027," Adams said. "I don’t think though she would get to appoint a lieutenant governor."
Kentucky does have a line of succession where if Coleman could no longer serve, Kentucky's Senate President Robert Stivers would assume the position.
Adams added that if Beshear were to vacate his seat early, Adams says there could be lawsuits from both Democrats and Republicans -- with Democrats suing to give the acting governor the power to appoint a lieutenant governor, and Republicans suing to try to shorten her term and have a special election in 2026. That would potentially shorten Coleman's term to two years instead of three.
WHAS11 talked to Lt. Gov. Coleman on Tuesday, asking if she's prepared to step in if Beshear were called to D.C.
"When people ask me if I'm ready, I just respond to them that that's my job," she said.
But this is all still hypothetical, and looking big picture, Republican Party of Kentucky communications director Andy Westberry is skeptical over what Beshear brings to a presidential ticket.
"There's a lot of different names being thrown around. You got to ask yourself, 'Is Governor Beshear really that moderate? Here in Kentucky, we know better."
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