Seasoned political observers know that a fall book tour can offer more than literary promotion—it can also provide clues about a politician’s next move.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Maryland Governor Wes Moore offered the latest example last week, appearing together in Washington, DC, at an event celebrating Beshear’s new book.
The discussion soon shifted to whether either governor might seek the presidency in 2028.
Beshear has repeatedly said he has not made a decision. However, his comments have become noticeably less dismissive when the possibility of a White House bid comes up.
Looking back on his 2023 reelection as Kentucky governor, Beshear told Politico that he once believed he would never need to run for office again.
Now, he said, “I’m not sure that’s true.”
Beshear emphasized that the comment was not an announcement of a presidential campaign.
Still, combined with his rising national profile, the remark was enough to stir fresh speculation among Democrats.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore told Beshear, “Our country needs you,” when the question of a future presidential run arose
Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press in July 2025, Beshear said he would consider a presidential campaign, declaring that he would not “leave a broken country to my kids or to anyone else’s”
An Echelon Insights survey conducted on September 23 placed the former vice president at 24 percent, ahead of California Governor Gavin Newsom at 14 percent and Pete Buttigieg at 10 percent, while Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jon Ossoff each received 8 percent
Moore, another potential 2028 White House contender, then offered an even more pointed assessment.
“Our country needs you,” the Maryland governor told Beshear.
“We make a pretty good team,” Beshear replied, prompting immediate speculation about a possible Moore-Beshear or Beshear-Moore ticket.
Beshear later recognized the strength of the potential Democratic field, telling Moore, “We may have a lot of great candidates.”
It is not the first time Beshear has publicly left open the possibility of seeking the presidency.
During a July 2025 appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Beshear said he would consider running and vowed that he would not “leave a broken country to my kids or to anyone else’s.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom also remains a prominent figure as Democrats look toward the next presidential cycle. His political activity has fueled further speculation over whether Kamala Harris might make another White House bid.
Newsom told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he would not run if Harris’s name appeared on the ballot.
Harris has not offered a definitive yes or no, reiterating that her current priority is helping Democrats win the midterm elections.
She campaigned on Tuesday for the first time this election season alongside Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed on a Black maternal healthcare panel.
New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was unusually honest about the trajectory of her political career in a New York Times interview this week, acknowledging that she is seriously weighing a potential presidential bid.
But other life plans could change that decision, as she has been open about freezing her eggs and her plans for motherhood down the line as she approaches 40.
And Pete Buttigieg, who mounted his own presidential campaign in 2020, offered perhaps the clearest signal of all.
Speaking on a podcast last month, the former transportation secretary said he was ‘more inclined than not’ to run.
Behind them is an unusually deep bench of governors, senators and former officials who have either acknowledged that they are considering a campaign or have deliberately declined to close the door.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are among the governors whose national ambitions have drawn attention.
Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, New Jersey’s Cory Booker, Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen and Michigan’s Elissa Slotkin have all found themselves in the conversation as Democrats contemplate who might lead the party after 2028.
Representative Ro Khanna has also spoken openly about the possibility, while former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu remain among the other Democratic figures whose names continue to surface.
That does not mean all or any of them will ultimately decide to run.
And Beshear has an especially pertinent reason to wait.
As chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, he has a national platform but is unlikely to want his political future to overshadow that role.
He has suggested that his plans could become clearer after his tenure ends in December.
Moore, meanwhile, remains focused on his Maryland reelection campaign.
An Echelon Insights survey conducted on September 23 puts the former vice president at 24 percent, ahead of California Governor Gavin Newsom at 14 percent and Pete Buttigieg at 10 percent, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jon Ossoff both at 8 percent.
RealClearPolling’s current average likewise places Harris first at 24.9 percent, followed by Newsom at 14.0 percent and Buttigieg at 12.8 percent.
