LEXINGTON, Ky. — Though Kentucky didn’t hold any elections yesterday, Gov. Andy Beshear is happy with how things went in the states that did.

He said at a press conference Wednesday that he thinks the big-ticket Democratic wins notched in states like Virginia and New Jersey speak volumes about how Americans feel about GOP President Donald Trump.

“The other thing we saw was a very clear statement that, politically, President Trump has been a failure in his first year of his second term,” Beshear said. “The president was involved in and lost the Wisconsin Supreme Court races. He was involved in and lost both of these governor’s races. He even endorsed a non-Republican in the mayor’s race in New York and lost.”

Currently the vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and the incoming chair for next year when the midterm elections will be held, Beshear emphasized that his party went “two for two” in the gubernatorial elections.

“I’m very proud that last night we went two for two, and they weren’t close. Our gubernatorial candidates both made history, one flipping Virginia and becoming the first female governor of Virginia... and then Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey becoming governor,” he said. “This is the first time there’s been three consecutive Democratic gubernatorial terms in 60 years. Neither of these races were easy.”

Abigail Spanberger defeated her GOP opponent in Virginia by 15 points despite the current governor being a Republican. Sherrill won her general election by about 13 points.

Beshear said he was “directly involved in very significant ways” for both the Sherrill and Spanberger campaigns.

The governor also mentioned city council races in South Carolina and statewide Public Service Commission races in Georgia as big wins for Democrats, but made only a glancing reference to “the New York race.”

That New York race probably drew the most news of all the results on Tuesday night: Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who notched an easy win in the New York City mayoral race over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Beshear has put a light amount of distance between himself and Mamdani, saying he understands the young mayor-elect’s appeal but thinks some of his policy proposals “probably aren’t attainable.”

Republicans have been eager to try and tie Mamdani, who they cast as too radical for American politics, to other Democrats.

“I think it says two things: Number one, the American people are so concerned about the American Dream slipping away, they are looking for candidates that are focused on their everyday concerns and needs, and that starts with their job and whether they can afford what they need to feed their family, maybe take them on a vacation every once in a while, the ability to afford that next doctor’s appointment, to be able to travel safe roads and bridges, to know the school they dropped their kids off at is a quality school,” Beshear said.

“And, they want to feel safe in their neighborhoods. That’s where the Democratic candidates were,” he added.

The governor said he thinks every politician, regardless of party affiliation, should focus on those issues, suggesting that “maybe that’s a way to heal the country.”

Beshear has used similar language when asked about the possibility of running for president in 2028, something he’s openly mulled for months.

In addressing Trump even further, Beshear said that he wishes the results will discourage members of Congress from fealty to Trump.

“I hope that this gives courage to people who’ve lacked it in Congress to do their jobs again,” he said. “I’m not asking them to be a Democrat or an Independent. I’m asking them to be a separate branch of government that believes in checks and balances and restores lawfulness to Washington, D.C. — just do your job.

“There’s not a political advantage to not doing your job. And the people of the United States are watching,” Beshear said.

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