Governor of Kentucky
Governor of Kentucky
Governor Andy Beshear is America’s most popular Democratic governor, winning three statewide elections in dark-red Kentucky because voters know that he cares about them and works every day to make their lives better. After being elected governor in 2019 by just over 5,000 votes, Governor Andy Beshear won reelection by more than 5% in 2023, beating Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate in a state that Donald Trump carried by 30 points in 2024.
Governor Beshear has overseen historic economic development, attracting thousands of new good-paying jobs in every corner of the Commonwealth and positioning Kentucky as a leader in electric battery manufacturing. Under his leadership, Kentucky has seen record investments in infrastructure including roads, bridges and high speed internet, and is delivering clean water to communities that for far too long have been overlooked and underserved. In addition, he announced the first new hospital in the West End of Louisville—Kentucky’s largest African American community—in over 150 years.
He governs a state with Republican supermajorities while standing firm on his values and doing the right thing, regardless of politics. As governor, Beshear has vetoed every single anti-LGBTQ+ bill that came to his desk—including one of the nastiest anti-trans bills to pass a state legislature—during his reelection year. He issued an executive order banning conversion therapy and restored voting rights to nearly 200,000 Kentuckians. And he has vetoed four anti-choice bills, including one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country that had no exceptions for rape, incest or non-viable pregnancies.
Governor Beshear has offered steady, compassionate leadership in the wake of historic disasters, including devastating tornadoes that leveled parts of western Kentucky—including his dad’s home town—and historic flooding in eastern Kentucky, showing up over and over again to help these communities rebuild.
Andy and his wife, Britainy, have two children, Will and Lila, and a dog Winnie. His family are members of Beargrass Christian Church. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt with bachelor’s degrees in political science and anthropology and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.
**Please Make Note of Special Start Times**
11:15 a.m. Registration & Network Café
11:30 a.m. Speaker Reception
Open to DEC Board, Life and Gold Members with up to two accompanied guests
12:20 p.m. Program (Theater-Style, Unreserved Seating)
1:15 p.m. Strolling Lunch with Open Seating
$55 – DEC Members
$65 – Guests of DEC Members
Gary Torgow
Chair
Huntington Bank