Beshear's everyman appeal has helped him win a term as Kentucky's attorney general and two as its governor, all in a state President Trump won by 30 percentage points in 2024. It has also earned him credibility among national Democrats as he contemplates a 2028 presidential bid.

During a fireside interview at the governor's mansion, Beshear presented himself as a "common-sense, common-ground" Democrat. He steadfastly avoided labels like liberal or moderate, although his record is arguably more liberal than his moderate reputation.