Democratic governor outlines steps for party to regain America’s trust

MANCHESTER, NH — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear isn’t sugarcoating the work ahead of his party as it aims to escape the political wilderness.

“I have a lot of hope for the Democratic Party, but I’m also honest enough to say that the Democratic Party has a lot of work to do. The Democratic Party has to earn back the trust of the American people,” Beshear told about 100 Democratic politicians, officials and activists this week during a stop in New Hampshire.

Beshear, a two-term governor of red state Kentucky, is hitting the campaign trail, helping his fellow Democrats run in November’s elections and next year’s midterms.

And his mission comes as Democrats struggle to rebound from last year’s electoral setbacks, when they lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to win back a majority in the House. They also lost ground to Republicans among black, Hispanic and younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party base.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLL NUMBERS CONTINUE TO REACH RECORD LOW

Democratic Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky speaks to a crowd of New Hampshire Democrats during an event in Manchester, New Hampshire, October 7, 2025. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

This year, many polls have raised red alerts for Democrats, as the party’s favorable ratings have plunged to historic lows.

“No. 1, we need to spend 80 percent of our time on things that matter to 100 percent of Americans,” Beshear said, outlining three steps Democrats must take to redeem themselves politically.

Beshear said Democrats also need to “talk to people like normal human beings” instead of “bashing people.”

His third step is to focus less on policy details and more on energizing voters.

“We’re really good at the ‘what,’ but not so good at talking about the ‘why,'” he said.

GO HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORT ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS

Beshear, the son of former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, was elected state attorney general before edging out Republican Gov. Matt Bevin by a razor-thin margin in the 2019 gubernatorial showdown. He was re-elected governor two years ago.

The moderate Democrat is vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association and will take over as DGA chair next year.

Outgoing Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is joined by his wife, Britainy Beshear, right, Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, center-left, and his family as he delivers his victory speech to an election night crowd at Old Forrester Paris City Hall, Nov. 7, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)

Beshear visited New Hampshire the day before a campaign stop in Virginia, where he campaigned on behalf of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial nominee.

New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold gubernatorial elections the year after a presidential election, meaning the races traditionally attract outsized national attention.

And this year’s election showdowns are seen as crucial early tests of President Donald Trump’s popularity and second-term agenda and are seen as key barometers ahead of next year’s midterm elections, when majorities in the House and Senate will be up for grabs.

Trump looms large in 2025 election

“I think Virginia and New Jersey are races that we’re going to win, and we’re going to win by providing a vision for Americans. A vision that the American dream is still achievable. That a Democratic governor can create good jobs, can make things more affordable,” Beshear said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Looking ahead to next year, when he takes over as CEO of the DGA, Beshear said, “I’m going to work to win as many races as possible.”

Beshear’s trip to New Hampshire, which for more than a century hosted the nation’s premier presidential primary, sparked more speculation about his national ambitions in 2028, when a wide range of Democrats are expected to run for their party’s presidential nomination.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear greets party activists and officials during an event in Manchester, New Hampshire, October 7, 2025. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

The Kentucky governor spent all of Tuesday in New Hampshire, headlining a fundraiser in Concord for the state’s Democrats, a happy hour in Manchester for the city’s Democrats and a party in Nashua hosted by a state senator.

It was his second trip to New Hampshire in a year after delivering the keynote address at the Democratic Party’s major fall fundraising gala in 2024. And the latest trip to New Hampshire followed a stop earlier this year in South Carolina, another key state for early voting in the Democratic Party’s presidential primary schedule.

Unlike other potential White House candidates, Beshear acknowledges that he is mulling a 2028 run.

Asked about running in 2028, Beshear reiterated to Fox News that after next year’s midterm elections, “my family and I are going to sit down” to decide whether or not to run for president.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Beshear, promoting a vision of inclusion, said that “when I look at what my job is right now, I want to be a voice of common sense and common ground in this crazy partisan climate that we’re experiencing right now to try to get people to focus on the things that matter most to our families.”

And ahead of the upcoming presidential election, Beshear said, “What’s most important to me is that we have a candidate who can heal the country. We have too many us versus them. Our neighbor is not our enemy, and we have to recognize that even if we don’t agree with them, we want what’s best for them, and we really want their children to have a good life.”