FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday there are lessons to be drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic — from a greater sense of shared responsibility to the outsized role social media plays in a crisis.
The first-term Democrat, who intends to run for reelection in 2023 in a state Republicans have dominated in recent years, downplayed questions about the political consequences of restrictions he imposed across many aspects of life in Kentucky to slow the virus’s spread.
Beshear remains popular in the state but is likely to face a tough political battle in Republican-trending Kentucky. Looking ahead to his reelection bid, he said that if his record in fighting the virus generates “negative repercussions" politically then “I’m