FRANKFORT — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear created a political committee in New Hampshire this fall funded with $255,000 to support Democrat Joyce Craig in her run for governor of a state that’s known for its prominent role in nominating candidates for U.S. president.
Beshear also traveled to New Hampshire in mid-October to campaign for Craig, who lost to Republican Kelly Ayotte.
Soon after his reelection last year, Beshear established a political action committee (PAC) called In This Together that he said would raise money to support Democratic candidates in Kentucky and across the country. Beshear’s PAC transferred $255,000 to a new PAC called In This Together New Hampshire in late October, according to the New Hampshire Online Campaign Finance System.
Beshear’s In This Together New Hampshire spent the money for online advertising supporting Craig and opposing Ayotte, New Hampshire records show.
A post-election report filed by In This Together with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday shows that in late October it donated $150,000 to In This Together New Hampshire.
Eric Hyers, who managed Beshear’s two campaigns for governor and is the top strategist for In This Together, said Friday that In This Together gave a total of $255,000 to In This Together New Hampshire. Hyers said the additional $105,000 was not required to be reported to the FEC in the recent report, but will be disclosed in future reports.
Ayotte won the governor’s race in November, capturing 54% of the vote to 44% for Craig, according to the Associated Press.
Hyers said the purpose of creating In This Together New Hampshire was to support Craig. Now that Craig has lost, he said, “We will be closing it down.”
Nonetheless, Beshear’s stumping for the Democrat in New Hampshire, the creation of the New Hampshire committee, and the big donation from Beshear’s PAC will be seen as indicators the governor is exploring a possible run for president in 2028. New Hampshire holds one of the first presidential primaries and history has shown that it is important for presidential candidates to do well there.
“It looks like Gov. Beshear is making a strategic investment in a state that could be pivotal in the Democratic nominating process,” said Al Cross, a former political reporter for The Courier Journal and professor emeritus of journalism at the University of Kentucky. “It’s a clear sign of interest in the presidency.”
Stephen Voss, associate professor of political science at the University of Kentucky, said that Craig’s loss in the November election doesn’t mean the Beshear super PAC’s donation was a waste.
“Not at all. It would have been better for him if she (Craig) had won, but a candidate for president needs to have strong ties to leading members of their party in a state like New Hampshire. … This is one way to build those ties,” Voss said.
A prominent New Hampshire Democrat — Kathleen Sullivan — served as treasurer of Beshear’s New Hampshire PAC, according to campaign finance records.
Sullivan, the former chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said in a phone interview Friday she was contacted during the fall by a Beshear intermediary who said that Beshear’s PAC wanted to contribute to help Craig but needed someone from New Hampshire to sign on as treasurer before the new committee could be registered. She said she was happy to sign on as treasurer because she wanted to do all she could to help Craig’s campaign.
Sullivan said she met Beshear only once and was favorably impressed. “He seems pretty smart, pleasant. … And he knows how to win elections.” But Sullivan said, “It’s way too early,” and, repeating herself for emphasis, “way too early” for her to make any endorsement in the 2028 Democratic primary for president.
Beshear has been in the national spotlight this year as one of the possible running mates considered by Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris who chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Beshear also spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
In This Together’s report filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Thursday shows that it has raised $1,237,000 since Beshear created it in January. In late October, it reported donating $687,000 to candidates and committees that Beshear supports.
Besides the contribution to In This Together New Hampshire, the largest contributions went to:
- Kentuckians for Good Judges, $335,000. This committee is chaired by Hyers and through mid-October did not report any spending to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.
- Democrat Jennifer McCormick’s unsuccessful campaign for governor of Indiana.
- The Democratic Governors Association, $50,000.
- Working Hard for Kentucky PAC, $25,000. This committee is also chaired by Hyers and it also did not report any spending through mid-October.
The largest donations to In This Together since mid-October according to the recent FEC filing came from:
- Distilling giant Beam Suntory, of New York, $50,000.
- Lexington Trots Breeders Association, owner of Lexington’s Red Mile gambling complex, $25,000
- Mary Fisher, Los Angeles, $20,000.
- Gregory May, Pikeville, and two companies May manages, Utility Management Group and GCC Investments, combined to give $23,000.
- James Worley, Lexington, owner of WG&T Builders, and an appointee of Beshear to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, $10,500.
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Written by Tom Loftus. Cross-posted from the Kentucky Lantern.
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