Kitty Holbrook gave Gov. Andy Beshear a hug before celebrating another milestone Friday in eastern Kentucky's recovery from historic flooding. The retired teacher thought it might be the last time she sees the rising Democratic star for some time if he's asked to join Vice President Kamala Harris' ticket.
"Either way, I'm happy with it," Holbrook said after the governor moved on to greet others in the crowd. "If he gets to stay here, I'm glad. But if he goes on, I'm real glad. If he did as good a job if he were vice president as he's done for the state of Kentucky, it would be amazing."
Beshear has proven his small-town political appeal in a region that doesn't hide its allegiance to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. A rarity in the current divided state of U.S. politics, this corner of Appalachia has demonstrated a willingness to embrace both the state's Democratic governor and the nation's Republican former president.
Signs for Trump can be as abundant as homegrown gardens dotting the Appalachian countryside, and the former president would remain an overwhelming favorite to carry the Bluegrass State in November even if Beshear joins the Democratic slate.
Still, in a state also known for its thoroughbreds, the political horse race for the second spot on the Democratic ticket was on the minds of some Kentuckians as they watched Beshear work the friendly eastern Kentucky crowd. They were gathered to watch as several families displaced by raging floodwaters two years ago checked out their new homes built on higher ground.
