Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wants his party to start talking \u201clike real human beings\u201d and get away from what he called \u201csanitized\u201d language and messaging.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got to talk to people like real human beings,\u201d Beshear told POLITICO\u2019s Elena Schneider at POLITICO\u2019s Governors Summit on Thursday. \u201cWe’ve sanitized different language so significantly that, you know, people don’t feel like we’re talking to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beshear cited a few specific examples of language he thinks has been wrongfully embraced by Democrats, homing in on terms like \u201csubstance use disorder\u201d instead of the more colloquial \u201caddiction\u201d or \u201cjustice-involved populations\u201d to refer to incarcerated people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to communicate when you\u2019re not using some normal language,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beshear has been one of the most successful red-state Democrats in the Trump era, having won two governor\u2019s races in a state President Donald Trump carried by 30 points in 2024 over then-Vice President Kamala Harris.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people believe that you are actually improving their lives, and they see it and they feel it. Now they’ll change the way they vote,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beshear also danced around a question about his political future once his second term is up, saying “we’ll see,” and highlighted his role as vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association. Beshear was floated as a possible running-mate for Harris last year, and his state is anticipated to have an open Senate race next year.<\/p>\n
“I love this country and I hate to see how divided it is,” he said. “If there is an ability or another opportunity to [fix America’s problems], it’s something I’d consider.”<\/p>\n