Career Timeline of Andy Beshear: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Andy Beshear, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Andrew Graham Beshear is the current governor of Kentucky, serving since 2019. A Democrat, he previously held the position of the state's Attorney General from 2016 to 2019. Notably, he is the son of former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, adding a layer of political lineage to his profile.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

2001: Summer Associate at White & Case LLP

In 2001, Andy Beshear was a summer associate at White & Case LLP in New York, where his father had started his law career.

2005: Hired by Stites & Harbison

In 2005, Andy Beshear was hired by the law firm Stites & Harbison, where his father was a partner.

2007: Father Became Governor of Kentucky

In 2007, Steve Beshear, Andy Beshear's father, became the Governor of Kentucky and served until 2015.

November 2013: Announced Candidacy for Attorney General

In November 2013, Andy Beshear announced his candidacy in the 2015 election for Attorney General of Kentucky.

2015: Campaigning for Attorney General

In 2015, Andy Beshear was running for Attorney General of Kentucky, to succeed Democrat Jack Conway.

2015: Ran unopposed in Democratic primary

In 2015, Beshear ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for Kentucky attorney general.

April 2016: Sued Governor Bevin over Budget Cuts

In April 2016, Andy Beshear, as Attorney General, sued Governor Matt Bevin over his mid-cycle budget cuts to the state university system. The Kentucky Supreme Court agreed with Beshear.

2016: Became Attorney General of Kentucky

In 2016, Andy Beshear became the 50th Attorney General of Kentucky, a position he held until 2019.

2017: Lawsuit Against Bevin Dismissed

In 2017, the Kentucky Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit Andy Beshear brought against Governor Bevin, holding that Bevin had the power to temporarily reshape boards while the legislature is out of session.

April 2018: Successfully Sued Governor Bevin over Pension Reform

In April 2018, Andy Beshear successfully sued Governor Bevin over Senate Bill 151, a controversial plan to reform teacher pensions, with the Kentucky Supreme Court ruling the bill unconstitutional.

July 9, 2018: Declared Candidacy for Governor

On July 9, 2018, Andy Beshear declared his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor of Kentucky in the 2019 election, choosing Jacqueline Coleman as his running mate.

May 2019: Won Democratic Nomination for Governor

In May 2019, Andy Beshear won the Democratic nomination for governor with 37.9% of the vote in a three-way contest.

August 2019: Pledged to construct I-69 bridge

In August 2019, Beshear promised to construct the Interstate 69 Ohio River Crossing between Henderson, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana, by 2023.

October 2019: Filed Lawsuits Against Pharmaceutical Companies

In October 2019, Andy Beshear, as Attorney General, filed nine lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies for their alleged involvement in fueling Kentucky's opioid epidemic.

December 10, 2019: Resigned as Attorney General and Inaugurated as Governor

On December 10, 2019, Andy Beshear resigned from the Attorney General's office and was inaugurated as Governor of Kentucky on the same day.

December 12, 2019: Restored Voting Rights to Kentuckians with Felony Convictions

On December 12, 2019, Governor Beshear signed an executive order restoring voting rights to over 180,000 Kentuckians with nonviolent felony convictions.

December 2019: Kentucky to continue accepting refugees

In December 2019, Beshear told President Donald Trump's administration that Kentucky would continue to accept refugees under the U.S. immigration program.

2019: Improved Performance in Suburban Precincts

Compared to 2019, Andy Beshear most improved his performance in suburban precincts during his reelection campaign.

2019: Became Governor of Kentucky

In 2019, Andy Beshear became the 63rd Governor of Kentucky, and has served since then.

2019: Defeated Matt Bevin in Gubernatorial Election

In 2019, Andy Beshear defeated Matt Bevin in the gubernatorial election by a narrow margin of just over 5,000 votes.

2019: Pledged to bring advanced manufacturing and healthcare jobs

In 2019, Beshear pledged to bring more advanced manufacturing jobs and health care jobs to Kentucky, to offset job losses due to the decline of coal.

2019: Proposed teacher pay raise

In 2019, Beshear pledged to include a $2,000 pay raise for all Kentucky teachers in his budgets. The Kentucky legislature has not included such raises in the budgets it passed.

2019: Advocated for clean energy and clean coal technology

In 2019, Beshear said he wanted to create more clean energy jobs to employ those who lose their jobs in the coal industry and to expand clean coal technology in Kentucky.

2019: Replaced Kentucky Board of Education Members

Upon taking office in 2019, Andy Beshear replaced all 11 members of the Kentucky Board of Education, fulfilling a campaign pledge.

March 2020: Responsible Gambling Awareness Month

Beshear proclaimed March 2020 Responsible Gambling Awareness Month in Kentucky.

June 2020: Promised Free Health Care for African-American Residents

In June 2020, Governor Beshear promised to provide free health care to all African-American residents of Kentucky who need it, to address health care inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 5, 2020: Relaunch and expansion of kynect

On October 5, 2020, Beshear announced the relaunch and expansion of kynect, the state health insurance marketplace.

March 2021: Signed law on juvenile firearm offenses

In March 2021, Beshear signed a law allowing judges to decide whether to transfer minors 14 and older to adult court if charged with a crime involving a firearm, changing the previous requirement.

June 2021: Executive order on college athlete compensation

In June 2021, Beshear signed an executive order allowing college athletes to receive name, image, and likeness compensation, making Kentucky the first state to do so via executive order.