History of Andy Beshear in Timeline

Andrew Graham Beshear is the current governor of Kentucky, serving since 2019. A Democrat, he previously served as the state's attorney general from 2016 to 2019. He is the son of former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, who held office from 2007 to 2015. Beshear's political career marks him as a prominent figure in Kentucky's Democratic Party.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

November 29, 1977: Andrew Beshear's Birth

On November 29, 1977, Andrew Graham Beshear was born. He would later become the 63rd governor of Kentucky.

1990: Kentucky Education Reform Act

In 1990, the Kentucky Education Reform Act sought to insulate the Kentucky Board of Education from political influence.

2000: Graduation from Vanderbilt University

In 2000, Andrew Beshear graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and anthropology.

2001: Summer Associate at White & Case LLP

In 2001, Andrew Beshear worked as a summer associate at White & Case LLP in New York.

2003: Receiving Juris Doctor

In 2003, Andrew Beshear received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

2005: Hired by Stites & Harbison

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

November 2013: Announced candidacy for Attorney General

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

2013: Consumer Lawyer of the Year

In 2013, while working at Stites & Harbison, Andrew Beshear was named "Consumer Lawyer of the Year – USA" by Lawyer Monthly.

2015: Ran unopposed for Kentucky attorney general

In 2015, Andy Beshear ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for the position of Kentucky Attorney General.

April 2016: Sued Governor Matt Bevin over budget cuts

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

2017: Kentucky Supreme Court Dismissed Lawsuit against Bevin

In 2017, the Kentucky Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit Andrew Beshear brought against Governor Matt Bevin, regarding the power to reshape boards while the legislature is out of session.

April 2018: Sued Bevin Over Teacher Pension Reform

In April 2018, Andrew Beshear successfully sued Governor Matt 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, Andrew 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, Andrew Beshear won the Democratic nomination for governor with 37.9% of the vote in a three-way contest.

October 2019: Filed Lawsuits Against Pharmaceutical Companies

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

December 10, 2019: Resignation as Attorney General

On December 10, 2019, Andrew Beshear resigned from his position as Attorney General of Kentucky prior to his inauguration as governor the same day.

December 12, 2019: Restoration of Voting Rights

On December 12, 2019, Kentucky Governor Andrew Beshear signed an executive order restoring voting rights to over 180,000 Kentuckians with prior non-violent felony convictions.

2019: Improved Performance in Suburban Areas

Compared to 2019, Andrew Beshear most improved his performance in suburban precincts; he increased his margins by nearly six percentage points in suburban areas, compared to 4.5 percentage points in urban and rural precincts.

2019: Elected as Governor of Kentucky

In 2019, Andrew Beshear defeated incumbent Governor Matt Bevin in the general election to become the Governor of Kentucky.

2019: Replaced Kentucky Board of Education Members

In 2019, upon taking office, Andrew Beshear replaced all 11 members of the Kentucky Board of Education before the end of their two-year terms.

March 2020: Responsible Gambling Awareness Month Proclamation

In March 2020, Andy Beshear proclaimed the month as Responsible Gambling Awareness Month in Kentucky. He supports legalizing casino gambling, sports betting, fantasy sports betting, and online poker betting.

March 25, 2020: Beshear Declares State of Emergency Over COVID-19

On March 25, 2020, Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in Kentucky due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He encouraged business owners to require customers to wear face coverings indoors and banned "mass gatherings," but this ban's appropriateness was questioned, due to protests' protected status.

April 2020: Vetoed Abortion Bill

In April 2020, Governor Andrew Beshear vetoed a bill that would have allowed Attorney General Daniel Cameron to suspend abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic and exercise more power regulating clinics that offer abortions.

April 2020: COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Order Enforcement

In April 2020, Governor Beshear ordered Kentucky state troopers to record license plate numbers of churchgoers who violated the state's COVID-19 stay-at-home order, leading to debate.

June 2020: Free Healthcare 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 resolve health care inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 30, 2020: Kentucky State Pension Fund Status

As of June 30, 2020, the Kentucky State Pension Fund was at 58.8% of its obligations for the coming decades. Beshear has sought to fund the state's pension system, which has accumulated $24 billion in debt since 2000.

October 5, 2020: Relaunch and Expansion of kynect

On October 5, 2020, Andy Beshear announced the relaunch and expansion of kynect, the state health insurance marketplace that was initially started in 2013 and dismantled in 2017.

November 2020: COVID-19 Restrictions and Criticism

In November 2020, the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Beshear's emergency executive orders. In late November 2020, Beshear imposed new COVID-19 restrictions, which led to criticism from House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers.

November 18, 2020: Ordered Halt to In-Person Learning

On November 18, 2020, Governor Beshear ordered Kentucky's public and private schools to halt in-person learning due to increasing COVID-19 cases, with classes to resume in January 2021.

January 2021: In-Person Classes Resumed

In January 2021, in-person classes resumed in Kentucky's public and private schools after being halted due to COVID-19.

March 2021: Vetoed Bills Overridden by Legislature

In March 2021, Governor Beshear vetoed multiple bills passed by the Kentucky legislature, but the legislature overrode his vetoes.

September 2021: BlueOval SK Battery Park Announcement

In September 2021, the BlueOval SK Battery Park was announced in Kentucky, with Governor Beshear calling it the "single largest investment in the history" of the state.

October 1, 2021: Declared candidacy for reelection

On October 1, 2021, Andrew Beshear declared his candidacy for reelection as governor in the 2023 election.

December 2021: Response to Tornado Outbreak

In December 2021, Governor Beshear led the emergency response to a tornado outbreak in western Kentucky, which devastated the town of Mayfield and resulted in many fatalities.

2021: Allowed Born-Alive Bill to Become Law

In 2021, Andrew Beshear allowed a born-alive bill to become law without his signature, requiring doctors to provide medical care for any infant born alive, including those born alive due to a failed abortion procedure.

July 2022: Response to Severe Flooding

In July 2022, severe flooding occurred across Kentucky's Appalachia region. Governor Beshear worked with the federal government to coordinate search and rescue missions.