It was a packed house today as Governor Andy Beshear took questions from reporters during his regular Thursday news conference.

And today, almost all the questions were about whether the governor could become the Democratic candidate for vice president on a ticket with the current vice president and likely presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

The governor made a brief statement about the vice presidency and also praised Harris.

I am honored to be considered.

And regardless of what comes next, I'll do everything I can between now and Election Day to elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States of America.

You all know what question that is in response to.

And that is my my full statement on that topic.

Well, I think what's needed right now is a ticket that not only can can win, but again, can can govern and can govern in a way that's for everyone.

We can we can't keep going with this.

Everything being red or blue or Democrat or Republican, You know, everything right now from the car you buy to the beer you drink, somebody tries to make Partizan and say you have to pick a team.

And I see it every day in Kentucky.

Our people are exhausted with it and we are desperate for something better.

And I think we're desperate to make sure that that our next president is somebody that you can sit your kids in front of the TV and they can watch it without worrying about what that person might say.

I believe our vice president is firstly strong.

She's tough as nails, a seasoned AG like me.

And I know when ag when I see one, that's somebody who works hard for all the people of their state and I know will work hard for four people in the country.

But I believe that this is the type of leader that can help just get us to that place where whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, your kids can watch that next address and you can feel good about what they're going to say, what they're going to see and what she's going to say.

On Monday, Governor Beshear appeared on MSNBC and criticized the Republican vice presidential nominee, Senator J.D.

Vance of Ohio.

Beshear said Vance, quote, ain't from here and quote, meaning Kentucky.

Vance has talked about visiting relatives in eastern Kentucky.

Beshear says Vance doesn't know Kentucky well enough to criticize it, and he says he would point that out.

Whether Vance was a candidate for Vice president or not.

What I said about J.D.

Vance isn't because of anything that is rumored about me or any role he stepped into, it's because he has exploited and attempted to attack my fellow Kentuckians.

And it's my job as governor to stand up when that happens, to spend some summers or parts of summers or weekends or come in to special events, and then to claim that, you know, the people of Eastern Kentucky, the cultural of Eastern Kentucky, to to make money off of of that claim and then to call our people names is just not acceptable to anybody else had done it.

I'd be speaking up to listen I'm from Kentucky.

This is my home.

I will always be my home no matter what.

And I will always stand up for our people.

Senator Vance talked about drinking Diet Mountain Dew.

The governor criticized him for that earlier in the week, saying no one drinks Diet Mountain Dew.

But Governor Beshear backed off from that comment today.

Folks, I've been a person that that when sometimes I've gone over the line, I've wanted to make sure that I set the record straight.

So I do an apology tonight, Mountain Dew Elite One is definitely the soft drink of Kentucky.

But I don't believe that government should be making your decisions.

So if you enjoy Diet Mountain Dew, you be you.

We want to support you.

And the Diet Mountain Dew.

Very sorry.

Didn't mean to say negative things about you.

Just remember I am from here, just like everybody else that's speaking out.

Thank you all very much.

Governor Beshear is one of several potential candidates for vice president, along with Governor Josh SHAPIRO of Pennsylvania, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and U.S.

Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, among others.

It's not clear when Vice President Harris will announce a choice if she is the party's nominee.

The Democratic National Conventi