Beau Bayh, the Next Generation of Leaders, and Indiana Football

Summary

---

Andy Beshear Podcast

Episode: Beau Bayh, the Next Generation of Leaders, and Indiana Football

Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Andy Beshear
Guest: Beau Bayh, Indiana Secretary of State candidate

---

Episode Overview

This engaging episode features a candid conversation with Beau Bayh, a Marine veteran, attorney, and current Democratic candidate for Indiana Secretary of State. Host Andy Beshear delves into Bayh’s motivations, the challenges of modern public service, generational leadership, Indiana’s political landscape, and the intersection of sports, personal life, and democracy. The episode also includes audience Q&A, reflections from young Americans, and signature segments like “Ask Andy.”

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Podcast Rules & Purpose (00:38 - 02:43)

• Andy Beshear opens by reiterating the podcast’s core principles: authenticity, plain language, no debating reality, exploring the “why,” and having fun.
• The show focuses on real, unscripted conversations—far beyond just politics.

2. Introducing Beau Bayh & His Candidacy (02:43 – 04:34)

• Beau just announced a successful fundraising quarter ($1.8 million) with support from across the political spectrum, signaling desire for change in Indiana.

  “I feel so grateful for the support... It goes to show how people are ready for something different in Indiana.”—Beau Bayh [03:08]

3. Motivation for Running; Family Tradition of Service (03:29 – 05:20)

• Beau stems from a deeply-rooted family tradition of public service (father and grandfather in Congress).
• He highlights dismay over self-serving politics, specifically criticizing the incumbent Secretary of State for corruption and insider dealing.

  "Marines run toward a tough fight and not away from it. ...That's why I'm running, to clean it up."—Beau Bayh [04:15]

4. The Cost and Calling of Public Service (05:20 – 07:48)

• Beau recounts growing up with political scrutiny—balancing exposure to criticism with the real ability to make positive community impact (e.g., Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars Program).
• Decision to join the Marines after Harvard rooted in a sense of obligation to give back and not squander privilege.

5. Protecting Democracy: From the Battlefield to the Ballot Box (08:04 – 10:29)

• Andy draws connection between Beau’s military service abroad, protecting democracy, and now seeking to protect voting rights at home.
• Beau references personal experiences in countries with fragile democracies, motivating his commitment to election integrity and the importance of fair, accessible elections.

6. Redistricting, Grassroots Action & Accountability (09:05 – 11:54)

• Discussion of bipartisan grassroots opposition to gerrymandering in Indiana—a rare win for democracy, showing individual voices matter.
• Beau’s first act if elected: independent audit of the Secretary of State’s office to address corruption and wasteful spending.

  "On day one, we will conduct an independent audit of this office."—Beau Bayh [10:11]

7. Young Voices, Voter Participation & Direct Democracy (11:54 – 13:58)

• Beau, newly 30, voices intent to represent and inspire young Hoosiers.
• Indiana's low voter participation rates; advocating early voting, campus outreach, and a citizen-led ballot referendum to increase engagement and faith in the process.

8. The Unique Nature of This Election Cycle (14:37 – 15:23)

• Indiana Secretary of State race will be top-of-ballot for the first time in 12 years.
• Emphasis on depoliticizing elections: “I want to make this a race between two individuals, not political parties.” [14:54]

9. Leadership Philosophy: Listening, Civility, & Pragmatism (15:50 – 19:49)

• Beau highlights the misconception that he’s mapped out a political career, instead stressing obligation over ambition.
• Both men emphasize empathy, listening, and nonpartisanship.

  "We need leaders...that recognize that the things we have in common are so much more important than any of these small differences."—Beau Bayh [18:10]

10. Connecting with Voters Across the Aisle (19:49 – 22:17)

• Stories underscore the power of human connection and one-on-one conversations with lifelong Republicans—winning support through listening and focusing on shared values.

11. Personal Interests & Regional Identity (22:17 – 24:04)

• Beau enjoys the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and shares stories from southern Indiana, drawing parallels to Kentucky and highlighting local sports pride.

12. Kitchen-Table Politics: What the Democratic Party Should Focus On (22:43 – 24:04)

• Beau urges a focus on “kitchen table issues” (schools, healthcare, roads, groceries, housing), avoiding cultural arrogance, and engaging with respect.

  “If you focus on the issues that are in front of people in their daily lives...that is how...our party has the right message on the merits.”—Beau Bayh [23:03]

13. Indiana Life: Geography, Community, & Football (24:04 – 29:39)

• Beau paints a picture of Indiana’s diversity, sense of community, sports culture, and family agricultural background.
• Shares anecdotes of Indiana football’s resurgence and the impact of local NFL teams (Colts, Bears).

14. Lifestyle, Restaurants, and Leadership Style (26:18 – 28:03)

• Beau’s off-trail joys: fried pork tenderloin sandwiches, going to movies, and “professional camping” from his Marine experience.
• On leadership: personal relationships, genuine care, valuing bipartisanship, and focusing on results not ideology.

15. The Importance of the Secretary of State's Role (28:03 – 30:49)

• Reasserting the need for nonpartisan stewardship of elections and democracy.
• Emphasizes Indiana’s people, natural beauty, Hoosier pride, and traditions like the Indy 500.

16. Young Leaders & Their Questions (31:41 – 45:32)

• Young Kentuckians and university students discuss political divisiveness, generational change, challenges of cancel culture, accountability, and what they seek in authentic candidates.
• Andy and guests reflect on the importance of grace, admitting public mistakes, and modeling honest leadership.

  “If you make a mistake, you gotta own it.”—Andy Beshear [49:42]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Marines run toward a tough fight and not away from it. ...That's why I'm running, to clean it up.” —Beau Bayh [04:15]
• “If you focus on the issues that are in front of people in their daily lives... That is how...our party has the right message on the merits.” —Beau Bayh [23:03]
• “We need leaders...that recognize that the things we have in common are so much more important than any of these small differences.” —Beau Bayh [18:10]
• “If you make a mistake, you gotta own it.” —Andy Beshear [49:42]
• “I want to make this a race between two individuals, not political parties.” —Beau Bayh [14:54]
• “You're not the enemy from within when you're actually having a conversation.” —Andy Beshear [19:49]
• "I love the people. So much... The best part about our state is the genuineness and the kindness of the people." —Beau Bayh [28:59]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------------|----------------| | Podcast rules & aims | 00:38 - 02:43 | | Beau Bayh introduction, fundraising, & background | 02:43 - 04:34 | | Motivation for running, family tradition | 03:29 - 05:20 | | Cost/calling of public service, military decision | 05:20 - 07:48 | | Protecting democracy & voting rights | 08:04 - 09:05 | | Redistricting, grassroots, & accountability | 09:05 - 11:54 | | Youth engagement, voter participation, ballot referendums | 11:54 - 13:58 | | Election cycle uniqueness | 14:37 - 15:23 | | Leadership, bridging divides | 15:50 - 19:49 | | Voter connection stories | 19:49 - 22:17 | | Personal interests, Indiana/American life | 22:17 - 24:04 | | Democratic Party’s direction | 22:43 - 24:04 | | State pride, football, NFL, restaurants | 24:04 - 29:39 | | Leadership style | 27:03 - 28:03 | | Nonpartisan focus/Secretary of State responsibilities | 28:03 - 30:49 | | Audience Q&A, young leaders, authenticity, cancel culture | 31:41 - 45:32 | | Andy on mistakes, leadership, final reflections | 47:35 - 49:42 |

---

Closing Thoughts

This episode provided a deeply human look at the next generation of leaders through the lens of Beau Bayh—a candidate shaped by military service, family tradition, and a focus on restoring trust and accountability in government. Themes of bipartisanship, generational empathy, and fundamental reforms in voting and public engagement resonate throughout. Humorous moments about Harvard and Big Ten football balance the serious tone on democracy’s challenges. Andy Beshear’s Ask Andy and conversations with young Americans underscore the urgency for authenticity and hope in public life.

---

How to follow Beau Bayh:

• Website: beaubayh.com
• Social: @beaubayh on all major platforms

---

For listeners interested in democracy, civil dialogue, and the ongoing fight for integrity in public life, this episode is a must-listen.

Transcript

[Verizon Spanish Ad Speaker]

Mama quiero el difo nuevo uno con Verizon nos lle vamos cuatro iPhone 17 sini ter cambio todos vamos estrenar iPhone hi familia con Verizon Yavate quatro iPhone 17s hinos nuevas and unlimited welcome Pisita nos ovla con un representant en espanol Al ocho cuatro cuatro cuatro seis cuatro ocho sieto nova seis los Datos de Unlimited 5G 4G LTE.

[John]

Foreign.

[Andy Beshear]

Welcome to the Andy Beshear Podcast. The podcast is available for download on all major platforms, but Please follow our YouTube station at Andy Beshear Podcast this is season two, episode four. We're calling season two prime for 2026, where we introduce you to primary candidates from all all over the country that are running interesting and important races. But with all of them, we try to make sure that this conversation is real. The way we do that is by following the cast rules. As a flashback, here are our podcast rules. Number one, be authentic. You be you.

Boo.

Number two, talk like a real human being. When folks are going through addiction, the they don't call it substance use disorder. When someone's hungry, they don't call it food insecurity. We want to make sure this is a conversation where we're using real words that have real meaning with real emotion. Number three, no debating reality. Far too often now we see people trying to argue against facts. Number four, tell your why. We want to get beyond just what you think and get to why you think it. We want our guests to talk about what drives them in life and how they make their decisions. When we talk about our why, we can give each other the grace and the space to disagree, but to understand somebody could be coming from a good place. And number five, have fun. This week. Our guest is is Beau Bai. He is an attorney and public servant with a background in law, policy and international affairs. A former Marine, he has worked across government and the private sector. Bay is known for a pragmatic approach to public service and a focus on strengthening democratic institutions at home and abroad. Beau is running for Secretary of State in Indiana as a Democrat. Welcome to the show.

[Beau Bayh]

Thank you, Governor. Appreciate it. John, welcome. Thank you.

[Andy Beshear]

So you are here at an exciting time. And by the way, thanks for being here in person. Meaning that if people are watching us on YouTube, they see us all here in studio together. But you just came off of huge news. Democrat running for Secretary of State in Indiana. You just announced fundraising quarter I think of $1.8 million. Congratulations.

[Beau Bayh]

Thank you very much, Governor. And it's just I feel so grateful for the support. And that support has come from Democrats, Republicans, Independents, business leaders, labor leaders, public school teachers. A lot of it's five and ten dollars at a time. And it just means the world to me. It goes to show how people are ready for something different in Indiana. A better type of government, a better type of leadership. So I couldn't be more excited for the future.

[Andy Beshear]

So tell us about your decision to run. It's not easy running as a Democrat in Kentucky, and it's not in Indiana either. But you've decided to step up to take on this challenge. Tell us what drove you to do it, and how are you going to win?

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah. So I grew up in a family of public servants. My granddad and my dad.

[Andy Beshear]

You know what that's like?

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, I think so. You know, my granddad and my dad served our state in Congress. And I was always taught growing up, you run for public office to help your community, to make your state a better place, to make our country a better place. And too often in Indianapolis, I'm seeing folks running for public office to help themselves, their friends and their family. And the Secretary of State in Indiana is a perfect example of where we've gone wrong. He's used his position of trust with the public to benefit himself and his supporters. And that just offends my sense of what a public servant should be. So I'm a Marine, like you mentioned, and you might have seen the commercials. They're true. Marines run toward a tough fight and not away from it. This is a big issue in our state. It goes across party lines. It doesn't matter what political party you ascribe to. We shouldn't be having to put up with this corruption, insider dealing in our state government. That's why I'm running, to clean it up.

[Andy Beshear]

So, John, I think that it's possible that Beau here is Captain America.

[John]

I mean, what did you do in the Marines?

[Beau Bayh]

I was an infantry officer.

[John]

Oh, right on.

[Andy Beshear]

And eventually were promoted to.

[Beau Bayh]

I was a captain, so.

[John]

So let me ask you, because I've often asked Andy, this is public service, something you always wanted to do. Were you destined to do this? Did you have a calling for it?

[Beau Bayh]

You know, I grew up knowing that I wanted to give back and serve in some capacity. Tons of different ways to do that. Running for office is just one little small slice of that p. Serve in the military, you can be a public school teacher. You can volunteer. There's a million ways to do that. Running for public office has not always been my goal, but, you know, there's always a sense of, in my family, some obligation to give back to your community. And I knew whatever I did in my life, it was going to take that path eventually.

[Andy Beshear]

See people see families that have multiple people in public service, and they think about the fact that you might know the good, but you also see the bad. And so what's that driving thing that says, I know what my dad had to put up with. I know the names they called my granddad, but I'm willing to go through it?

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, you're right, Governor. And you've seen, you've both seen this. There's an intense level of criticism that comes with opening your life up to the public. I dealt with this when I was a little kid. I mean, one of my first political memories. I remember outside of our house, my dad was being, you know, thrown around for potentially being a VP candidate for President Obama. I remember looking out the window and seeing all these people with cameras outside our house. And I thought previous to that, I just had any other dad. You know, he went to my basketball games, he was our football coach, you know, things like that. And it's a testament to how good of a father he was. But you see the amount of scrutiny and criticism that can come with this line of work. But then you also see the way that you are really able to make a positive impact in people's lives in our state who are struggling. One of the things that my dad's most proud of, that I'm most proud of, is he instituted the 21st Century Scholars Program in Indiana, which has allowed millions of Hoosier kids without means to go to public schools in Indiana, debt free. And that's, you know, we all know that education is a great equalizer that lifts people out of poverty, makes them good citizens, contributing members of society, and that's just. You can do those things in a life of public service.

[Andy Beshear]

So Beau goes to this university in Boston. Forget the name of it here, it's pretty good.

[Beau Bayh]

It's the IU of the East, Governor.

[Andy Beshear]

Except for football. He is a D1 athlete.

[John]

Yes.

[Andy Beshear]

And coming out of this school, I think it's called Harvard. It's for people who can't get into Vanderbilt.

[John]

Knew that was coming, by the way.

[Andy Beshear]

And has every opportunity in the world. Yet you join the Marines, talk about your decision.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, I'd always been interested in the military since I was a little kid, you know, playing toy soldiers and things like that my granddad, like many of us, my granddad was in the army in post World War II Europe. And so I kind of grew up hearing stories about him doing that. And I was just drawn to the Marine Corps since, again, I was a little kid. There's a unique esprit de corps that I think the Marine Corps has that's unique among the service branches. And, and like I mentioned, I had always grown up knowing that I had an obligation to give back to my community. And I felt too often in my life I'd be given all these blessings, all these blessings. And of course I got to do my part to give back and to be worthy of those things. I was tired of other people serving and I wanted to get in on that too. So that's why I joined the Marine Corps and I had just a great experience.

[John]

Was your family supportive of that decision coming out of Harvard?

[Beau Bayh]

You know, my mom was a little touchy go at first like most mothers are, but they were so proud of me. I have a twin brother and he joined the army, which, you know, not everyone can be Marine. That's all right. But they were very supportive.

[Andy Beshear]

You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. We are in studio with Beau Bayh running for Secretary of State. I'm struck in really the connection between being abroad as a Marine, protecting our democracy and now wanting to run for the position where you've got to protect everyone's right to vote. Talk a little bit about that.

[Beau Bayh]

I've seen firsthand what places in our world look like that don't have well functioning democracies. So I'm running for a position, as you mentioned, Governor, where you are safeguarding the most important thing to our nation, the health of our democracy. I take that job very seriously when I see someone in the Secretary of State's office in Indiana who is not a trustworthy individual, has nothing to do with his political party. If I justif I see someone who is entrusted with all that responsibility and I don't think they're doing a good job, of course that's going to motivate me to try and make a change. So, yeah, our democracy is one of our most precious things and I want to be a good steward of that.

[Andy Beshear]

When we look at voting rights right now, also under attack throughout the country, we see this mid cycle redistricting though I tell you what, Indiana stepped up and said no.

[Beau Bayh]

We did. We're incredibly. And it's again across party lines. There are some principled Republicans in our state Senate who looked at this and said this is not the right thing to do. Even they're getting tons of pressure from Washington D.C. and Hoosiers do not like being told what to do, especially by outsiders.

[John]

I'll tell you, I was shocked.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, well, I think a lot of people were.

[Andy Beshear]

But I was pretty proud.

[Beau Bayh]

I was too. But another piece that I was just very proud to see, we had a ton of grassroots across party lines. Again, grassroots opposition to this. People making their voices heard around the state. It's easy today in politics to just think that an individual can't have an impact. That was proven wrong in Indiana. When we stood up to this gerrymandering, people got involved, they voiced their opposition and they had a real impact on the conversation.

[Andy Beshear]

So you would leave a law practice to do the Secretary of State's job. What would be your first act? What do you want to do on day one?

[Beau Bayh]

On day one, we will conduct an independent audit of this office. I wish we didn't have to do that, but things have gotten so bad where that's a necessary thing to do. The Secretary of State of Indiana, just to fill in your listeners who might not be familiar, has spent $90,000 of taxpayer money on a luxury SUV because he wants to drive around our state and I'd like to.

[Andy Beshear]

90,000.

[Beau Bayh]

90,000. It's a nice truck. I've seen it. Meanwhile, our public schools are closing, rural hospitals at risk, utility bills are through the roof. Hoosiers are working two full time jobs and barely making ends meet. But he's using our precious tax resources for a nice truck for himself. He's hired his family members, pays him six figure salaries. He's taken trips all over the world, won't disclose the purpose of the travel or who's paying for it. He's given out millions of dollars in no bid contracts to his largest campaign donors. It is not partisan. We cannot tolerate that type of insider dealing in our state government. So day one, we're going to conduct an independent audit. I welcome input from the governor, from the attorney General, from anyone of any political party in that effort.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, and especially as you say, when people are struggling, you look at an office that isn't doing everything they can to give that taxpayer the best return on their investment. Tell me a little bit on, I mean, Secretaries of state run elections. I think they have a duty to stand up for voting rights. They also, I think have an obligation to do something that is really important in our society right now and that's in many ways teach or spread civics. And the Importance of strikes me that you would probably be the first office holder of your generation in Indiana, which might give you a special insight into how people not just your age. Younger.

[John]

You mean he's younger than us?

[Andy Beshear]

He's younger than you. Okay, so tell us your thoughts on how do you want to inspire that next group of Hoosiers to vote, to be involved, to volunteer?

[Beau Bayh]

Of course, that will be a big priority of mine. I just turned 30 a couple weeks ago, which it's crazy to think about. That sounds amazing.

[John]

Do you remember those days?

[Andy Beshear]

A little.

[Shai Young]

A little.

[Beau Bayh]

And I think, Governor, you've probably seen this. People are hungry for a fresh perspective, some younger voices contributing to our political discourse. I want to be that fresh perspective and that young voice in Indiana across party lines, getting folks whether they're Republican, Democrat, independent, I don't care. Involved in our political process, voting. You know, Indiana consistently ranks toward the bottom of the United States. And voter participants, I saw that if not, if not last in a lot of years. And a lot of the blame for that lies at the Secretary of State's feet. Look, we can't tolerate illegal voting in our state. But at the same time, the Secretary of State should reasonably look at this and say how can we increase participation? So we need to expand access to early voting centers. We need to reach out on college campuses to get people registered to get them to their polling place. And one other thing I would love to do is institute a statewide citizen led ballot referendum. And a lot of states have this. Ohio, Missouri, Florida. What this would do is put the big issues of the day, take the gerrymander it down.

[Andy Beshear]

Don't.

[Shai Young]

I wish.

[Martha]

You wish.

[Andy Beshear]

We don't have that either. For us, it requires a constitutional amendment that has to pass the very House and Senate. That is the reason that you have the ballot measures.

[Beau Bayh]

So we're in a similar predicament, same type of deal. But I think this would be great. And to get out our voting participation, if we put the big issues of the day on the ballot, that's going to get folks off their couch and into their polling place. Because the number. You guys probably hear this all the time. I'm sure you hear it. Governor, I get around our state. People feel like government just doesn't speak for them, like they have no voice, like they're not represented. I trust Hoosiers to make these big decisions. Let the people have a more direct say. That's going to increase our participation. That's going to make people feel like they have a real say in government.

[Andy Beshear]

You know, we saw that with medical marijuana that the House and the Senate wouldn't pass it forever. We finally got them to do it, but they put local referendums on and every single area that put it on, it won overwhelmingly.

[John]

Yeah, I was going to say big.

[Andy Beshear]

And so that was one of those areas that people had made partisan. It wasn't partisan. And that idea that if you could get some of those ballot measures on, you could break through this. A win for you is a loss for us type of mentality.

[John]

And it was interesting to see the legislators that came out in support of it towards the end.

[Andy Beshear]

Towards the end. Once you know it's going to pass.

[John]

I will say one thing that I found fascinating that maybe you could share with the listeners. Why is this such a unique year for the Secretary of State election? Why is it the election?

[Beau Bayh]

We will be on the top of the ballot in Indiana. So that happens once every 12 years. This is not a common thing.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, that's smart.

[Beau Bayh]

Not bad. Because at the end what I want to do to be successful and I think any politician should really be able to do this, I want to make this a race between two individuals, not political parties. Because there's so much wound up today in how partisan our politics has become. People digging in, picking a team, red team, blue team, not shutting out anything they don't already agree with. That's not a way to conduct our political discourse in this country. We have to vote for the best man or woman for the job and not for a political party. So that's more likely to happen if I'm at the top of the ballot.

[Andy Beshear]

So I'm very lucky if Indiana played Harvard in football. Who are you rooting for?

[Beau Bayh]

Oh, I'm going with iu. I'm sorry. Sorry to my friends from back in college.

[Andy Beshear]

So I get asked that because Vanderbilt's in the sec and my constant answer is I ain't the governor of Vanderbilt. I think that's a good call.

[Beau Bayh]

Governor, I got a bone to pick with you about your quarterback over. I don't know if you saw that video, but he had some choice. He had some choice words for my football team, so.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, Diego seems to have choice words.

[John]

For a lot of different things.

[Andy Beshear]

Yeah, yeah. Question, that's. That's also personal to me with your last name. What's an assumption that people make about you that's not true.

[Beau Bayh]

Oh, I think you know that I've always had this 50 step plan to run for public office. Now you probably got it. And in reality that would be a miserable way to Live your life honestly. It wasn't the way I was, you know, was going throughout my life, and that's not been my plan. What I will say is I've always felt pressure is not the right word, but an obligation to give back.

[Andy Beshear]

Exactly.

[Beau Bayh]

And there's tons of ways you can do that, and serving in public office is just one of those. But, you know, that's probably a misconception.

[Andy Beshear]

But you do get to see what government can do for people. You know, when my dad was governor, I was. Well, I was 30 when he got elected, but when he expanded Medicaid and was able to put the ACA into practice, people couldn't get kicked off their coverage for a preexisting condition. I met cancer patients that weren't going to get treatment at all that could and that are alive today. And so I think one of the things when you get to watch this firsthand is you see the bad.

But.

Oh, you see, you see those moments where you are in a position to do that thing that's going to make just a huge difference.

[Beau Bayh]

I remember one of, you know, I was probably in fifth grade and my dad had to take a vote on passing the aca. And that you probably remember back. It's incredibly popular now, but back in the day in Indiana, it was a pretty contentious issue, and my dad voted for it. And that might have cost him politically at the time, but it was the right thing to do. It expanded health care to millions of Hoosiers. And my mom got brain cancer and passed away about four years ago. So I've seen firsthand, thank God we had good insurance, but had we not, that would have bankrupted our family and she would not have been able to get health care because of a preexisting condition. That was true for a lot of Hoosiers in our state. And, you know, thank God we made some progress on that front.

[Andy Beshear]

So what's your. What's your point plan for trying to bring people together? That's asking for a friend here. Now, when you look at running as a Democrat on the top of the ticket, to win, you gotta make sure you bring people together or at least depoliticize things. How are you gonna go about it?

[Beau Bayh]

A lot of it is the way you speak to people. Honestly, I know that sounds kind of inexact and maybe there's a. More Sounds right.

[John]

We talk about that a lot.

[Andy Beshear]

Sounds right.

[Beau Bayh]

Look, too often in our politics, we have just seen division and anger and honestly, hatred at times. That is not a path forward for our country. In The Marine Corps. I was an infantry. I was a captain. So I had a company of Marines, 200 or so Marines. We came from all different walks of life, big cities, little towns. We didn't vote the same. I mean, we had different politics. But at the end of the day, we recognized that the common mission that we had to come together to achieve was more important than any superficial difference that we made have had. We need leaders in Indiana, in Kentucky. You're one of these leaders, Governor, in our country, that recognize that the things we have in common are so much more important than any of these small differences. So not demonizing someone who doesn't agree with you on every issue, assuming people are coming to the table in good faith, being able to disagree better is something you hear now. Those are all things that I'm trying to do. And we've had success getting around our state talking to Republicans, independents, and creating a message that everyone can buy.

[John]

I was going to ask, how is the feedback from Republicans in your state when you go and meet with them? Like today, you were telling me you met with a staunch Republican. It sounds like it went well.

[Beau Bayh]

It went well. And the feedback has been good because Republicans and Democrats, one of the main tenets of our message is rooting out waste and wasteful spending and corruption in our government. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican. We have precious tax resources. They should not be wasted on nonsense like that. So it's a message that appeals broadly. People are hungry for a better type of politics. They're done with the division and the anger that we've seen in Indiana and beyond. And so it's resonating with people.

[Andy Beshear]

But I think what you just said is you got a chance to talk and to actually talk one on one. And it's hard for people to believe that you're the enemy from within when you're actually having a conversation. I'll never forget we were doing a fundraiser in my reelection here in Louisville, and it was. It was enormous. I had to get out of which.

Is a good thing.

I had to get out of the car and walk through this guy's yard to get to the right house. And he comes up and starts talking to me and he says, well, you know, I can't vote for you, but. And he continues. And I said, well, why? And he said a few things. He said, well, you know, everything's so partisan. And I said, well, good jobs aren't partisan. Public safety isn't partisan. Good health care isn't partisan. That's What I'm trying to do. He ended up voting for me. I might have been the first D. Maybe I'm the only. But just a chance to talk. And we always talk about it to people and not at them. And that idea that voters get to judge us when we're on the ballot, we don't get to judge voters. Our job is to go out and communicate better, to try to convince people, but ultimately, hopefully, to inspire people and give them a little hope.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah. I was in Randolph County, Indiana, Union City. It's actually, I think, the only city in Indiana, which part of it is in Ohio and part of it is in Indiana. So I was at the Elks lot. You know, these dinners you go to. And some of them, they're in the Elks Lodge. And so I had to walk. Yeah, exactly. I had to walk through a bar to get to where I was speaking. And so there are some folks. I'm never going to miss an opportunity to say hi to people.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Beau Bayh]

And so I went up to a table of folks, and Randolph county is not very Democrat. It's not a Democratic stronghold there. And I just introduced myself. I talked to these folks for about 10, 15 minutes. All of them were Republicans. Most of them had never voted for a Democrat in their lives. And every single person at the table just having a normal conversation with them came away and said, I'm going to vote for you. And we didn't talk about these big national divisive issues. It wasn't ideological. It was, to your point, governor, better public schools, more affordable health care, safer streets, better roads. These things shouldn't be partisan.

[Andy Beshear]

And you can't be afraid to have the conversation. You know, the toughest group to talk to is the coffee clutch. You know, if you're out campaigning in the morning or you're stopping at the McDonald's or the local coffee shop, there's the coffee clutch.

[John]

Well, I think we've talked about this before. Really connecting with people on the personal level has been the game changer. So many. I've spoken with so many Republicans that voted for Andy, especially in the second election, once they had time to get to know him as a person. And I think that's a huge deal.

[Andy Beshear]

What's something you enjoy doing that has nothing to do with politics?

[Beau Bayh]

I love being outdoors. I love being out there. I love hiking, camping, fishing, hunting. We have great whitetail hunting. You guys have elk here now, right?

[Andy Beshear]

We do.

[Beau Bayh]

That is crazy. I saw that. I'm like, I gotta get down here. This is great.

[John]

It's a Lottery system by here.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah. So I just love being outdoors. And part of that's from the Marine Corps, you know, the infantry. You spend a lot of time, I like to call it professional camping. So that's something that I like to do when I'm not. We're not on the trail.

[Andy Beshear]

What are some things, given that you come from a different background really like I do in the area of the country that you think the Democratic Party should do differently?

[Beau Bayh]

Focus on the issues that matter to most people. Better schools, safer streets, better roads, more affordable health care, more affordable groceries, the so called kitchen.

[Andy Beshear]

Housing.

[Beau Bayh]

Housing, the kitchen table issues. It makes common sense. Right. If you focus on the issues that are in front of people in their daily lives, that is how. Because I believe we have our party has the right message on the merits, but we just have to focus on those issues first. And I think if we do and not speaking, not belittling people, not having cultural arrogance when you're talking to people, those are all things that I think we do in Kentucky and Indiana that hopefully spread to the rest of the country.

[Andy Beshear]

And I'm thinking right now about folks in their 30s that that was the time that we could buy our first house. And now the average age of people when they can afford their first home is 40. I mean, this is a real issue that is in front of us in America that I think we just, we have to make some gains on and we're going to have to do it fairly quickly or it's going to be two generations that Ms. Out on that chance.

[John]

Yeah, in the Midwest is an area that people are drawn to for affordability. But even now those prices are out of the.

[Andy Beshear]

Tell our listeners a little bit about your state. I mean, you've got Indianapolis, you got the suburbs of Chicago, but like Kentucky, you got a lot of rural parts too. Except they have something that we don't have much of. They have a ton of windmills.

[Beau Bayh]

We do. So we have 92 counties in our state and there's kind of a, I'd like to say a misconception about Indiana that it's just flat as a sheet of paper. The southern part of our state is a lot like Kentucky. Very hilly, very pretty. Brown County. Indiana is a beautiful place. We actually get a lot of tourism from Kentucky in that part of our state. My family comes from Vigo county, which is in southwestern Indiana. My granddad was a corn and soybean farmer there. Briefly had some hogs until they got a little rowdy and my dad broke into the pen and My grandma said they had to go. So it's just a great state. The one defining feature of our state, you know, we have different topography, we have great sports teams, but the one common, you know, the one defining feature, the people are just amazing and they're just humble, down to earth kind people, give you the shirt off their back. And again, it does not matter what political party they are in. They're just good people. And it's a lot like Kentucky.

[John]

They're probably really happy now with his football team, don't you think?

[Andy Beshear]

I do.

Except he mentioned soybean farmers that are having a rough day.

[Beau Bayh]

They are having. And they're not very happy. But, you know, IU is making a silver lining, I guess, for a lot of them. But yeah, our football team has just been. I lived in Bloomington all of last year. I was working for a federal judge there. And so I got to see firsthand the turnaround on that. It's pretty special.

[Andy Beshear]

So you all have Colts fans in the NFL? You have Bears fans in the NFL?

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, there's a lot. There's a lot of news right now about potentially the Bears moving to northwest Indiana. So that would be a big win for some of the folks up there. But I'm a Colts fan, so Laura.

[Andy Beshear]

Kelly pulled that off with the Kansas City Chiefs. They're now moving over to Kansas and.

[John]

They'Re looking to Gary, Indiana.

[Beau Bayh]

Is that Gary or Hammond somewhere up there. I was telling John I have a twin brother who, who worked for the Colts for the past three years. So I've gotten to see, you know, firsthand what's going into the team. And working for an NFL franchise is cool. It's kind of cool. We go to these family events and you just. Within 10 or 15 minutes, once word gets out that your brother's working for an NFL team, you just see all the guys in the room kind of just gravitate. Can we get tickets.

[Andy Beshear]

Out? Out? You say you like the, the outdoors, but what, what do you, what do you do when you've got like a. A free Friday night? What's your favorite type of restaurant?

[Beau Bayh]

Oh, I love. We're very, very famous in Indiana. Fried pork tenderloin sandwiches. And sometimes they're comically big. I mean, you should see pictures of these things. It's like the little bun and then the tenderloin is, you know, 80% larger. That's really good. There's some great places in Indy for those. I love to see a movie. There's a great movie theater. I live near Mass Ave. In Indianapolis, which is kind of an up and coming area. There's a great movie theater near there, so I'll catch a movie alone sometimes, which I like. Get away from the rigors of the campaign trail.

[Andy Beshear]

What is your leadership style? What type of leadership style would you bring in the Secretary of State's office?

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, in the Marine Corps, I always tried to. If you, if the people you are leading feel like you have a personal relationship with them, like you care about them, like you know, you know who their dad, you know, their dad and their mom, their siblings, their hopes, their aspirations, then it's easier to lead. Then they'll give you a little bit of latitude, they'll trust you if you have to ask them to do something which is risky or potentially is uncomfortable. So in the Secretary of State's office, I plan to work with people, show them that I have a genuine interest in their daily lives and hopefully that'll create buy in to our program. And again, I mentioned this before, but just not being overly partisan, not being ideological, I mean, there's a misconception in results. Yeah, just get things done, Governor. And you know, sometimes I feel like people think that bipartisanship means that you're not principled. Yeah. It's not true. In fact, you can have deeply held beliefs and be a principled leader and still think that in order to get things done in divided government, you have to work with people and you have to be willing to take, you know, to make compromise.

[Andy Beshear]

Sometimes the job of Secretary of State ought to be non partisan 100%. When you look at it, all the different things you do. You know, we talk about reaching across the aisle, but there are some things that there shouldn't be a divide, even an aisle on to start. It's all things we've talked about, like good jobs. But certainly when it comes to the bedrock of our democracy, which voting is the bedrock of our democracy, we should want standards, we should want the jobs to be held by qualified people who are more focused on doing the job than owning the other side 100%.

[Beau Bayh]

And this is just such an important job. Like we mentioned at the outset, I will be safeguarding our most vital resource, which is our democracy. It's what makes our country unique in the world. And that is a job that I will take so seriously. And when the person in there I don't think is doing so hot at it. We gotta make a change now.

[Andy Beshear]

When you run for a statewide office, it means you love the state. Tell us what you love about Indiana.

[Beau Bayh]

I love the people. So much. You know, my family, my friends, my extended family all live in Indiana. The number one, the best part about our state is the genuineness and the kindness of the people. I love the outdoors. I mentioned Brown County. Brown County's beautiful. There's some other Hoosier National Forest. We have great natural resources in our state. I love the Indy 500. You gotta be a race fan in Indiana. It's the biggest. Ulysses might fact check me on this. I believe it's the biggest sporting event in the country. It draws the most people every year to Indianapolis to watch the race. And then I love our Hoosiers, man. Basketball, football. I love our Hoosiers.

[John]

Didn't you just travel with the team somewhere?

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, I got to go to the Rose bowl, and it's probably similar in Kentucky. Indiana is kind of a small community. So I'm walking into the game at the Rose bowl to support our team, and I probably saw 60 people that I just knew from around our state say, hey, John, how are you? You know, you just run into people, which is crazy, but just love.

[Andy Beshear]

And y' all had a huge crowd.

[Beau Bayh]

Huge crowd. And it was about 80% IU, which is just.

[John]

Especially in Georgia.

[Andy Beshear]

That's what Oregon's quarterback said.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, yeah. He was feeling it, so it's great.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, tell our listeners why they should be vested in an Indiana Secretary of State race.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah, so this is an important office. Safeguarding our democracy is vital whether it happens in Indiana or else, or if you're not from Indiana, we got to support young leaders, and I hope to be one of these people throughout our state in whatever political party you're in with integrity, who have a vision for the future. Future. You know, I'm a lawyer, and one of my legal heroes is Justice Brandeis, and he liked to call the states the laboratories of democracy. It's not uncommon for the best ideas in our country to bubble up through the state systems. And hopefully I can be leading the charge in generating some of those fresh ideas to build a better future for our country and for my state.

[Andy Beshear]

And tell our listeners how to follow your campaign.

[Beau Bayh]

So our website is just beaubuy.com, b e a u b a y h dot com. I'm on all the social media platforms now. TikTok, we're on there. So follow along. You know, Instagram, Twitter, whatever. So that's how you can follow.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, Bo, thanks for joining the podcast, and best of luck.

Thank you.

[John]

Thanks for your service, and thank you for all you do.

[Beau Bayh]

Appreciate it. Thank you.

[Andy Beshear]

You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. We just finished up an interview with Indiana Secretary of State candidate Beau Bai. We couldn't let him go without plugging our merch and making sure he has just a little bit of it. As you know, the merch store is open for the Andy Beshear Podcast. We have hoodies, we have sweatshirts, we have mugs, and now we have hats. So, Beau, thanks for coming by. We wanted to make sure you go home with a little bit of Andy Beshear Podcast merch.

[Beau Bayh]

I will wear it proudly, Governor. I appreciate it.

[Andy Beshear]

See, now we want you to win even more. Next on the Andy Beshear Podcast is my segment called In My Kentucky Accent. It's about what's on my heart and mind this week. So this week I'm thinking about Martin Luther King Jr. Day here in the United States. This is such an important day where we recognize the past sins of this country, but also this true hero in the fight for civil rights. Hopefully, we think about all the different steps that not only he, but so many brave foot soldiers took. We recognize their sacrifice and we think about how far we've come, but also how much farther we have to go. I think it's especially important this year when we have a president and an administration that is trying to make diversity a dirty word. I'll tell you where I stand. I believe diversity is always a strength and never a weakness, that we should celebrate our differences and it's what makes us so strong as a country. When we have people of different backgrounds and ideas all coming to the same table, we can make the best decisions, we get the best talent, and there is always room to pull up another chair. I think about Dr. King's dream and it's everyone's kids playing on the same playground, not telling anyone or other that it was time to leave the playground, but being able to truly share it, that there is room for absolutely everyone. And the idea that our kids don't see differences, and so maybe we shouldn't either. You know, on this day, we've got to reaffirm our commitment to do better and to be better, to recognize that history is still with us. It's still making it harder for some to achieve and that policies out there that are about opportunity are just as important today as they were a decade ago. Let's not fall behind. Let's continue to move forward, to make sure that everyone has a true opportunity at success. That's how I'll continue to lead, and that's how I hope all of you all will, too. Thanks to Dr. King for showing us the way. Here on the Andy Beshear podcast, we.

Have a segment called Ask Andy. And today, to lead that segment, we have Shai Young, who I guess didn't coin Clockett, but taught us that many episodes ago. I think still one of our best closing segments. Thanks for joining us.

[Martha]

Thank you, Governor.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, what do you have for me today?

[Martha]

First question for Ask Andy is how do you talk to people who didn't vote for you but still need to trust you?

[Andy Beshear]

I talk to them as people. I. I'm able to put that last election aside because if you. If you run to be governor, you.

Ought to want to be a really good governor.

And to do that means you got to serve everybody. And so if. If somebody is having a challenge out there and I can help them as governor, if they didn't vote for me, that's fine. If I can better the lives of their family, that's even better. And maybe, just maybe, I'll break through a little bit by. By doing that. But it's also about listening. How do you know what challenges people have if you don't listen to them? And it's. It's remembering that the job doesn't make you any better, any smarter, any taller, or any better looking. And when people think that it does, typically you don't do a very good job of it, and it just. It just eats you up. I've seen that in. In other people that have. That have had this job. So you just talk to somebody as somebody, maybe like they're one of the johns.

[Martha]

Nice. Next question. What advice would you give to young people who want to get involved but feel disillusioned?

[Andy Beshear]

What I'd say to. To. To young people is, first, I hate the phrase young leader. Why? Because that means you're already leading. And why do you have to somehow lessen it, which is, I think, when people say it, what it sounds like. And so I'd encourage people find that way to lead. We have a huge demographic shift going.

On in America right now.

Look at the lawyer billboards, right? It's gone from people in their 60s and 70s to people in their late 20s to mid-30s. And that's just one place that you can see it. So there are so many different areas. What I'd say is find some mentors that don't treat you like a young leader, but just as a leader. Learn as much as you can, but then also establish your own voice. And remember, if you don't like something, that's going on, but you won't do anything to try to change it. I'm not sure that you have the right to complain. I certainly wake up every day in this crazy world right now strangely feeling blessed that at least I can do something right. At least I can speak out or speak up or at least I can try to better someone's life over here if the President's making it tougher over there.

[Martha]

What's a question you wish people ask you more often?

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, well, the one they asked me about the most is probably Winnie, you know, wondering where she is because she is way more popular. I always love it when people ask me about my kids. You've seen me in here with them. I mean, I just, I'm so proud, I'm so proud of all the things that, that they do. I love when people ask me about Kentucky and our success. You know, the reason that I think my name is thrown around on the national level isn't, isn't just me. It's all the success we've had as a state. It's Kentucky story. I don't remember the last time that Kentucky was talked about so positively on the national stage. Look what we've been able to do despite being Democrats and Republicans. Look at what we have been able.

To do to, to climb all the.

Rankings for jobs and, and, and what, how we've been able to expand healthcare. And so I, I, I love all of that. I also love when people ask me about sports because I get to talk about something different like I admittedly talk about, because people ask me about, about politics a lot, but that's that moment that they have. And so I do try to take any question that people ask me and understand that it's really important to them. And I also try to recognize that that might be the only interaction that they've ever had with a governor or with me. And I need to make sure that I make it as that they feel it's as important to me as it is to them. That's why I take all the pictures too. You know, when you were governor and Covid hits three months in, you can't take pictures for a year and a half. That's a really important selfie to somebody.

And I don't, I don't want to.

Minimize that at all. I just, I want to make sure I treat that moment with the same excitement that they do.

[Martha]

What is or okay, read you what's a Kentucky food you'll always defend.

[Shai Young]

Ooh.

[Andy Beshear]

So I love the hot brown, well cooked fried chicken. Is also pretty incredible.

We make really great barbecue in Kentucky.

Though, and that might be where I'd land on this one. So my family's from Western Kentucky, and I think western Kentucky barbecue stacks up to the Kansas City and anywhere else.

And that could be pulled pork.

It could be mutton, too. What do you think?

[Martha]

One thing for me, and I'm a vegan, but I would say, like, indies chicken or chicken overall. Like, I feel like we have some of the best chicken in the world.

[Andy Beshear]

Do you like the hot chicken?

[Martha]

I used to love the hot one. Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

Is it tough to be a vegan in Kentucky?

[Martha]

Not really. We have some good places.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay.

[Martha]

Have you been to Shahar?

[Andy Beshear]

I have not.

[Martha]

Yeah, they have, like, all vegan menu, so that's like, one.

[Andy Beshear]

So that's your place.

[Ian Dayton]

Yeah, got it.

[Martha]

All right, and last question. Are you running for president in 2028?

[Andy Beshear]

I could ask that on my own podcast. You know, right now, my commitment is to be the best governor I can be. I turned down running for anything else that people had asked me to do because I committed to this job, and I love it. You know, Kentucky is a part of who I am. And I think all of us Kentuckians, we love where we're from, and. And even in the challenges of this job, even through 14 natural disasters, plane crash, mass shooting, and the rest, I think I've been able, with help, to move the needle to make this a better place. And I don't want to give up two years of that, either by running for anything else right now or by looking forward to any other job. I'm also head of the DGA, so I have 36 races to win. And my predecessor just went 2 for 2 and told me I had to go 36 for 36. And I told her, you ran, you. You had Virginia and New Jersey. So I'm not sure that's fair. But we'll see in the future. It'd be a conversation I'd have to have with my family, and I think it's mainly about having the right candidate. You know, I don't think that the way we heal this country is to have some Democratic version of Donald Trump. I don't think it's by. By having people that now want to get revenge on. On the other side. I think it's getting past the US versus the them, you know, wanting that better country where we're Americans first and Democrats and Republicans second or third, and then just delivering, like, life's hard right now, right between the bills and just the stress of the news and all of that. Buying a first home right now is more challenging than it's ever been. Those are things we can get real results on that help people of all.

Or no political parties.

So the wild part is I think.

That maybe the way that we heal.

Is to be a little less partisan, in which I think everyone would say amen, but we've got to get our government officials to do what the people want, which is just that.

[Beau Bayh]

I love it.

[Andy Beshear]

So if you'd introduce yourself and tell our listeners just a little bit about yourself.

[Caroline]

Perfect. Hi, I'm Caroline. I'm 23 years old. I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. I graduated college in 2024 and currently work at the Houston Ballet in development and fundraising.

[Martha]

Hi, my name is Martha. I grew up in Ethiopia, and I'm 18 years old.

[Caroline]

I'm currently a freshman at U of.

[Shai Young]

O. Hi, my name is Enrique Calderon. I am an Ecuadorian American. My family was born and raised in Ecuador, but I was born here. I'm a senior Pre Med at UofL and I'm a medical interpreter at the Backside center in Churchill Downs.

[Caroline]

So a story that we joke about a lot in my family is my parents grew up with, like, best friends who were Republicans, and they left, like, Mitt Romney signs in their front yard as, like, a joke.

[Stella Mesh Tropoulo]

Like, it's.

[Caroline]

They, like, both, like, put the opposite candidates signed in their yards as a joke. And I feel like even just that ability to talk about politics in that capacity feels like something I don't have with my relatives who we might not agree on things with, my friends who I might not agree with. Like, it's. It is just so divisive. Like, it is so divided right now. And I think that is really threatening that idea of the American dream that I think really comes from a place of. You can come from any background, you can have any belief system, and you'll be, like, united under this dream. But I think right now that feels really.

[Andy Beshear]

And you know who gave that speech? Ronald Reagan, when talking about immigration. But I love when you talked about your parents and their neighbors, because it's the idea that your neighbor isn't the enemy from within.

[Caroline]

Exactly.

[Andy Beshear]

Your neighbor is just trying to do their best in this tough world. And they might have had different experiences while where. Where they have some different views.

[Beau Bayh]

Yeah.

[Shai Young]

I think understanding that the person next to you could have had a completely different upbringing. Experiences in life that shapes somebody's, you know, ideas and their ways of thinking, I think that's definitely something we've lost. The ability to kind of read. So I kind of agree with what you say when you say, like, we've been robbed of stuff we're able to do. But I kind of look at it in terms of in order to overcome that, we should still be able to talk. Like anybody should be able to say what they think without feeling pressure from their own party or the opposing party that. Oh, really? Should I say that or not?

[Andy Beshear]

So the idea of not getting canceled, right?

[Shai Young]

Yeah, that's what I was going to say. So I'm glad you caught on.

[John]

Yeah, that's.

[Andy Beshear]

It's the idea. There was certainly a time in the Democratic Party where if you weren't a 10 out of a 10 on a certain issue, you could get pushed out. We claimed it was for inclusiveness, but it was being exclusive at that time. Now I see that on the other side, if you're not 100% with Trump all the time, every day, 24, 7.

You'Re out, you're a rhino. You don't belong.

[Shai Young]

Yeah, for sure.

[Andy Beshear]

So I see that Inclusive, exclusive, starting to shift.

[Ian Dayton]

Yeah.

[Shai Young]

Yeah, for sure.

[Andy Beshear]

We're back on the Andy Beshear podcast and our new series, prime for 2026. We've got our second group to discuss what's going on in the world and what's on their mind. So if you all would also introduce yourself where you're in school, Anything else you think our listeners need to know about you.

[Ian Dayton]

My name is Ian Dayton. I go to Indiana University Bloomington, and I'm studying finance and accounting and working on my MBA right now. But I'll be in Louisville next summer doing audit for PwC.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, shout out.

[Stella Mesh Tropoulo]

My name is Stella Mesh Tropoulo. I go to University of Kentucky and I work for the SEC Network up in Lexington.

[Andy Beshear]

Hi, my name is Yash Arabati. I go to the University of Louisville. I'm studying history and art history and I'm currently involved with the student government there.

[Ian Dayton]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

What is it when you are looking at a candidate for office that you look at to say, are they being real with me? Is this the real person that they are?

Or is.

Or is this the picture they want to paint for me while they're really somebody else?

[Ian Dayton]

I think consistency and honesty plays a huge part in what I would look for in a candidate. And consistency in that honesty. It takes years to build up an incredible reputation, but all it takes is one mistake to tear that down. So I think it's also dangerous to have cancel culture that can absolutely destroy reputations, things like that. And in some Cases, it is warranted. But again, like, it takes 10 seconds to ruin a reputation and years to build it. So I think consistency and honesty are the two huge things I'm looking for.

[Stella Mesh Tropoulo]

I think also the ability to handle accountability, that's a really big thing going off of cancel culture.

[Martha]

The.

[Stella Mesh Tropoulo]

The ability that someone has to be able to admit when they do something wrong, and they're able to admit that it has had. It's had effects on themselves and the people around them. I think that is a really big quality that we can definitely start trying to value a little bit more with our officials.

[Andy Beshear]

You all remember my mistake early in the pandemic. So early in the pandemic, when Donald Trump, by the way, on a conference call with every governor, tells us to shut down the economy, that is the person who told us all I was on it to. To do it. We opened up our. Our uninsurance. I mean, our unemployment insurance portal. And we wanted to help everybody for the months that it would take to get through knowing this was something totally different than we'd ever been through. And somebody came to me before I did one of my updates, and they said, governor, you're not going to believe this, but in this time, we need unity. People are committing fraud. There's someone who just applied for benefits under the name Tupac Shakur. So I huffed out my chest, I walked out there and I said, I can't believe this. People shouldn't be. I think I said, can't be doing that. And this is a time where we should all be standing up for each other. Well, it turns out there's a guy in Lexington who was working in the restaurant industry that had changed his name to Tupac Shakur, and he applied for unemployment benefits. And I, as governor, had basically run over him with a bus. And right after I had that press conference, one of the reporters knew him and so came up to me, and I was less worried about what it would mean for me in the future. I was worried about what I just did to him, right? Because I had this. At the time, we had millions of people watching. I had this. This. This pulpit, and I just. Not intentionally, but I'd used it in a way that had just hurt somebody. And so I got his number and I called him that night. And I just remember telling him, there's no excuse. I could tell you the story, but this is on me. I'm your governor. I'm supposed to be better.

You know what?

Even that night, he showed a lot of grace. Then I had to walk out the next day and start an update, not with the number of cases, but with the fact that I was wrong about Tupac Shakur and that is the way I made Jimmy Kimmel. But that idea, and I believe, I truly believe it, that in this time of heightened authenticity or realness, that if you make a mistake, you gotta own it.

That's a wrap. On this episode of the Andy Beshear podcast, we got to hear from Beau Bai, who is running to be secretary of state in Indiana. Talk about an impressive individual, a Harvard graduate that turns down, I guess, the big investment firm or wherever folks go, and instead joins the Marines, becomes a captain, serves his country and is now trying to serve it once again. We had a Ask Andy segment that I hope you all enjoyed. And we'll be back next week with more primary candidates in our prime for 2026 season. Everybody out there, stay safe. Be good. Talk to you soon.