FRANKFORT, Ky.– People close to Gov. Andy Beshear formed an advocacy group Wednesday to promote the Kentucky Democrat’s agenda as his allies seek to build on his reelection victory and bolster his resume by turning more of his proposals into policy in the Republican-leaning Bluegrass State. .
The move signals a more aggressive strategy to advance Beshear’s second-term agenda as the 46-year-old governor takes other steps to expand his political brand beyond his home state. Beshear’s national profile rose after his convincing re-election victory over Republican challenger Daniel Cameron last November.
The newly formed 501(c)(4) group called “Heckbent” will promote key Beshear proposals by supporting grassroots advocacy, said Eric Hyers, his chief political strategist.
“Our focus is on advancing very popular policies that are good for working families here in Kentucky, which the governor and his allies have supported and continued,” Hyers said in a telephone interview.
The group’s strategies could include funding ads to try to influence or criticize Republican lawmakers who oppose the governor’s proposals. In his recent State of the Commonwealth address, Beshear called for a joint effort between Republicans and Democrats to move the state forward.
A more confrontational approach by the pro-Beshear group would demonstrate the shallowness of the governor’s call for cooperation, Republican spokesman Sean Southard said.
“Republicans remain focused on advocating policies that make our state more competitive for business and a more attractive place for families to live,” Southard said in a statement.
The formation of the new group comes as Beshear tries to make inroads into the Republican-dominated state Legislature on education funding and other key issues. The new group’s name plays on a comment Beshear made during last year’s campaign, when he accused his Republican opponent of being “determined” to change the Medicaid program in a way that would cause some people to lose benefits.
While the new group’s primary focus is on grassroots advocacy, some of the funds it raises could be used to support or oppose political candidates this election year, when voting takes place in Kentucky. Republicans have a supermajority in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Such groups can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money. They are also not required to disclose their donors, leading some advocates of greater transparency in political spending to pejoratively call such entities “dark money” groups.
There was no such group to promote Beshear’s agenda during his first term, when his notable legislative successes were often overshadowed by his many policy disputes with Republican lawmakers. Those successes included legalizing sports betting and medical marijuana, expanding early voting and making insulin more affordable. His administration also worked with lawmakers to funnel more money into infrastructure projects.
Beshear also announced this month the formation of a federal political action committee to support candidates across the country as he tries to expand his influence beyond Kentucky.
Beshear twice defeated Donald Trump-backed rivals to win the governorship. His re-election in a state that otherwise leaned heavily toward the Republican Party has fueled speculation about whether he could ever run for national office. The governor has committed to serving his second term, which expires at the end of 2027.
Beshear says his reelection provides a blueprint for Democrats, and that his PAC will focus on helping elect more Democrats in swing states and Republican strongholds. During his first term, he won widespread praise for leading the state’s response to deadly tornadoes in western Kentucky and massive flooding in eastern parts of the state. He has overseen Kentucky’s record economic development.
The governor’s record on legislative performance is more fragmented — something the new group will try to change with messaging that could focus on areas represented by Republican lawmakers.
“It’s all about good ideas being turned into legislation and laws that help people,” Hyers said.
Beshear has noted that he signed more than 600 bipartisan bills into law during his first term, but some of his most ambitious proposals have stalled or been renewed.
He has so far failed to convince lawmakers to use state funds to provide preschool for every four-year-old in Kentucky. He is calling for an 11% pay increase for teachers and all other public school employees. The GOP House budget bill does not provide a guaranteed raise, but would allocate additional funding to districts, with local officials deciding whether to use some of the money to provide raises. House Speaker David Osborne said lawmakers will make a strong case that school workers deserve raises.