Time now for end of week recap of the major political developments of the week.

And first up, we have with us, she is the Republican National Committee treasurer and she's a local.

Casey Crosby, who many people in Lexington have known for years because of all her hard work.

And she's doing great things for the national Party, Republican Party.

And we thank you for being here.

Thank you for having me.

So you all had a fantastic week in Milwaukee, right?

It was phenomenal.

We had a great week.

It was just so inspiring to hear all the speakers.

And of course, President Trump coming off of the shooting in Philly or excuse me, in Pennsylvania, and his message of hope and unity.

I mean, it was just a phenomenal week.

So has that energy that, you know, we've heard and we've seen those of us who watched it, there was a lot of energy in that space.

Has that translated back when you returned to Kentucky and other delegates returned to their stomping grounds?

Absolutely.

I have heard from people all across the country we are united and we are ready to win in November.

We are all very excited.

And just like I said, it was just such a great week and so inspirational and everybody's just ready to get to work.

All right.

Let's talk about the vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump, J.D.

Vance, senator from Ohio.

Many people are saying now that we have this change at the top of the ticket on the Democratic side.

Do you still believe that J.D.

Vance was the right selection?

I think J.D.

Vance is an outstanding selection.

I mean, clearly, loyalty is very important to President Trump.

And J.D.

Vance has proven he's loyal.

I think his story is amazing being raised by his mama.

I mean, how many of us can understand having a mama who is involved with our lives?

You know, he comes from very humble beginnings.

You know, he's been touched by addiction.

And I think he just really resonates with people.

And I think when people get to know him better, they're going to be really excited and see why President Trump picked him as his as his running mate.

As we know, this is what happens in campaigns.

Things that were said many years ago come back to surface.

There was recently a circulation of an interview that J.D.

Vance did, I believe, with Tucker Carlson back in 2021 when he referred to women.

Some women, as childless cat lovers, or something to that effect.

When those kind of things resurface, how does a campaign respond or what can be the response?

Well, I think sometimes you have to look at context.

If things in the background and the history that he was coming from.

I mean, he came from a very difficult childhood raised by his mama.

And I think you have to look at those circumstances and where he was coming from at the time during that interview.

I mean, clearly, he is somebody who supports family and is going to be supportive of the of President Trump's agenda.

And we're thrilled about the choice.

And because he is so young, right under 40, he can continue kind of that MAGA wave is.

Do you think that weighed into the part for selecting him?

Well, absolutely.

And not only that, I mean, he served our country.

He was in the military.

He's smart.

He went to Yale Law School.

I mean, he is an amazing addition to this ticket.

And I think we're all I mean, we heard him at the convention speak and for some people, it was the first time they really ever had heard J.D.

Vance, and they were all just so impressed with him.

And I think that they make a great team and we cannot wait to pull that push them to victory in November.

Of course, there has been some criticism because many people, even like authors, poet laureate Silas House, has come out and said and criticized Hillbilly Elegy and said that's not reflective and complete and total of the Appalachian experience, that kind of narrative.

How is the campaign trying to push back against the fact that perhaps J.D.

Vance doesn't really represent a place like Kentucky?

Well, you know, I mean, I can say it.

My whole family, my husband's whole family's from eastern Kentucky.

I mean, his father grew up in Letcher County and he had to leave eastern Kentucky and, in fact, went to Middletown, Ohio, for opportunity.

And I think that that's what a lot of people can identify with.

You know, people are going to agree to disagree sometimes with what people write or state.

But he was telling his truth and what he believed his truth to be from a young age, from when he was a little boy raised by his mama.

And so that's his truth.

And I don't think we should be judging people for that.

As we know from recent polls, because of the change at the top of the ticket, and we should say that Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee, That's not official until the convention and August 19th that week.

But how does that change the strategy of the Trump campaign?

More prepared to run against a Biden, but as a Kamala Harris, more of a formidable candidate?

Well, I think when people start to look at her record, which she has quite the record, I mean, the most liberal senator, she was an attorney general.

And I think once people start learning who Kamala Harris is, they're obviously going to continue to support President Trump.

And we're seeing that with our fundraising.

I mean, I look at the numbers every day.

We have record.

We set records with our fundraising, and I don't think our strategy changes at all.

I mean, go to the grocery store and buy groceries for your family, go fill up your take a gas.

She is married to those issues with President Biden.

And I think people will see it for what it's worth.

Well, Casey Crosby, always good to speak with you.

Thank you so very much time.

Thank you so much.

And coming up, a different perspective coming from Democratic strategist Will Carly.

With us now, will Carly, Democratic strategist and founder of Open Strategies.

Good to see you for a second time this week, Will.

So a couple of things have happened since we last spoke with you this week.

It seems like the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, Kamala Harris, is going full steam ahead with her campaigning.

She's meeting with different types of constituency, constituency groups, shall we say.

Got an endorsement from former President Barack and former first lady Michelle Obama today.

Talk about the apparatus that's being put together right now to to help her at this point, since she is getting into the race at this late game.

Sure.

I think this is pretty normal as you get into a presidential election.

She's been a part of the ticket as a vice president now.

Well, in 2020 and now in 2024.

But the game has changed, obviously.

So this is her first real foray into being the top of the ticket.

And I think she's going around and talking with constituency groups to let them know that, number one, their input is valuable, that she's going to need them and that she's going to put together a robust grassroots and grassroots campaign that's going to send Donald Trump back to Florida and Mar a Lago in November.

What do you make of the polls that we're seeing that shows the race tightening, that she's within the statistical margin of error, former President Donald Trump, even a former president, Barack Obama, has called her the underdog.

Do you think that's a correct characterization of her at this point?

I think she just got into the race.

I don't know that she's an underdog.

She's a notoriously good debater.

She is a wonderful campaigner.

She does really well with real retail politics, talking to regular folks across the country.

And she's great on the issues.

So I don't know that I would call her an underdog.

I think she's very talented and definitely has what it takes to beat Donald Trump in the fall.

One of the things I think that you're going to see is a sharp contrast between Kamala Harris's America and her vision for America versus a really stark and negative view that's coming from the Trump advance team.

I know that J.D.

Vance right now is getting blistered for his comments about suburban women and women in general that aren't able to have children as being kept ladies.

I don't know that he's taking a tack that's going to bring in the voters that are going to help Donald Trump win in November, whereas Kamala Harris is having an inclusive campaign where she's having these conversations around the country with folks to get them involved.

And I think that's the difference.

And that's why she is going to win in November.

So we have to talk about because this segment is inside Kentucky politics, the speculation on Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, his political stock keeps rising and his political footprint keeps getting larger.

And he tweeted out just a couple of hours before we connected this afternoon, no matter what the future holds, Kentucky is my home.

That will never change because I'm one proud Kentuckian.

I've gotten a lot of texts inquiring about what he means by that.

Can you decipher that code for us, Will?

Carly?

I don't know that it's a code.

I think Andy Beshear is a proud Kentuckian.

He was born and raised here.

He served as attorney general.

He served now in his second term as governor.

He loves the land and our people.

I think he's probably flattered to be thought of as a vice presidential candidate.

And to be honest, I hope he gets it.

But I think he's letting Kentuckians know that, you know, no matter what happens, whether I'm the vice president or whether I'm still your governor, I'm proud to be from here.

This is where I'm from and I'm going to represent you and I'm going to make you proud because of who we are.

We've heard that the Harris campaign has said that by August 7th, they will announce the VP pick.

Do you think the candidates already know?

We know that Kamala Harris will be on the road with the Pennsylvania governor, SHAPIRO.

So does that give it any insight on who might be the front runner here?

I mean, I think Kamala Harris is probably in Pennsylvania because it's the swing state.

I don't know that that's a tool for governor.

SHAPIRO who obviously does a magnificent job there.

I think Senator Kelly is obviously in the running.

I'm sure she'll want to campaign with him, whether he's the vice president or not.

Our governor, though, is going to Iowa on Saturday with a lot of energy around that.

And I think people in states in the Midwest like Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, you got to do the geography right.

Are all going to be very excited to have Andy Beshear there.

And I think he'll be a really big add to the ticket if he's chosen.

Well, thank you.

Roll call for our will.

Real quick conversation.

You know, we'll have you back again and we always appreciate your take.

Good care.

Always grateful to be here.

Thanks for making.