>> Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is only the 3rd governor in state history to succeed himself.

His Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman is also making history as the first female to be re-elected as the state's second in command.

A conversation with Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman.

That's now on connections.

♪ ♪ ♪ Thank you for joining us for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw.

We know today's guest as the 58th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky.

>> Jacqueline Coleman is resume also includes being an educator basketball coach, writer and founder of a nonprofit Lieutenant Governor Coleman joins me today to talk about the priorities of the second Beshear Coleman administration.

What we can expect to see heartache on in the next 4 years.

And what could come for her 4 years from now.

I know she's been asked this a lot.

Welcome to the governor.

It's good to have you.

Thank you so much for him.

And the times we've been in the 4 years ago, you were expecting yes.

And and now you have this wonderful little girl who is getting ready for all the inauguration festivities as we talk and record this program.

That's really >> front and center for the administration right now.

Yes, you know, we have a lot going >> I'm primarily focused on getting this almost 4 year-old dressed up and down those steps of the grand march of the show.

Have a big time at the parade and it's a great day for for Kentuckians and certainly it will be a little bit more familiar to us the second right?

Yes, you've done this before.

So, but it doesn't mean that it's familiar, It's still exciting.

It's still history-making and so many ways, so much preparation.

We were talking about that before we started recording about all the work that goes into this because there are so many events and >> so many wardrobe changes and all kinds of things.

Right.

And I think about the folks behind the scenes that bring this data life, they make it so beautiful and so special for so many people in.

>> I'm just so grateful that we have so many talented artists and designers and and folks who can plan an event like I've never seen And lots of events in one day.

That's right.

So we're very fortunate here in Kentucky to have those great people.

>> Well, the good thing is you're not doing a transition, a formal transition right now as opposed to when you first came in office.

So that takes, does that help take off some of the pressure right now?

You know, you think about it the last time coming in.

I was a I was an assistant principal right?

I had snow staff that have come together.

The governor had, you know, the folks who have been in the attorney general's office with him to help, but we were putting together a whole new cabinet.

We're putting all those folks we needed in those key positions.

And so this time we have all of that in place and it's a matter of making sure that we continue putting one foot from the other and producing for the folks of Kentucky and also relishing the time.

Yeah, right to take it in, which is hard to do when you're in the middle of all the planning.

But to really realize like where you are in the history that you're making.

I mean, if you take and full stock of like the its success of the administration and where you are in it.

I try.

It is overwhelming sometimes.

you know, someone who taught history, you know, think about the moment.

And I think about making sure that your present in that moment to take it on land that.

But as you introduced me as the first woman in Kentucky's history to be reelected, as as Lieutenant or governor for that right is, is it blows my mind Sunday.

So think about.

And I think about honestly, I say this a lot, but every day walking in that capital.

The first thing I see is the Nettie Depp statue was the first female we've ever had.

And statue form in the capital.

And then I get to see my name on the Lieutenant Governor door.

And I just think about how lucky I am, right.

And so I'm just so grateful to be able to enjoy this second inauguration day with all all of our friends and family and the campaign being behind you.

What a relief.

I'm sure that was an is I think we're all glad to see those commercials Yeah, but it's it's nice to put it behind us.

And I'm proud of the race that we ran.

>> plan on being even more proud of the 2nd half of this of service that we're providing to Kentucky.

Right.

And we'll talk a little bit more about that in just a There's already been some attrition.

We talk a little bit about transition and not having a formal transition team.

We know the commissioner of a juvenile justice to step in this is normal that people will decide after a few years.

Okay.

I've had my fill.

Do you expect there to be other folks who decide to move on and and can you reveal any of that?

We've announced a you know, thank its these folks were were, you know, looking to fill in those in those roles.

One really exciting.

A piece of news is Colonel Jeremy Slinkard who was overseeing Kentucky emergency management has actually been.

I drafted into and so he's going to be working in the southern region of the country and that leadership role.

No doubt because of the leadership that he helped show here in Kentucky through some really trying times.

And so we have some attrition.

We have folks moving on to other things.

We have folks who are deciding they've they've put in their time of service and they're ready to to retire and move on to other things.

And so it's just a really natural transition point for a lot of folks.

But we're looking again to make sure that we fill those roles with the best people.

And there are so many people who want to be a part of team nail, which is is helpful in in picking the of the crop that we have here in Kentucky.

And I'm really looking forward to helping folks to transition into these new roles.

>> Re-imagining what they could be and seeing how that fits into a second term for us, right?

What do you consider to be the crucial top challenge facing Kentucky now and how as you as Lieutenant Governor, see yourself being a part of the change in a positive way.

>> You know, I think that we are really at a crossroads now our commitment to public education.

>> You know, my dad was on in the in the state house.

He was on the education committee when care was passed.

>> So I've heard my entire life about how critical that that piece of legislation was to equalizing the state to making sure that whether you're in let your county or Lincoln County, you can.

You can guarantee that your schools are adequately and equitably we've moved a long way from that and that's a big concern for me because right now I think we're truly looking at a decision of are we going to recommit ourselves to public education in Kentucky to make sure every kid no matter their zip code has every opportunity that they can have or are we going to look at going in a different direction that in my opinion, would drastically harm our rural schools, our minority students, all of the kids that we're benefited back.

Kara, are the kids that that we are at risk of losing if we fail to recommit public education in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the way it needs to be and we know is we are just a few days out from the 2024 legislative session.

>> That education is going to be a top priority of state lawmakers and school choice, possibly a constitutional amendment that they could if they can pass it themselves, put on the ballot for Kentucky voters to ratify and November about that.

How active will be administration be against that proposed Constitution amendment.

He doesn't.

The governor doesn't have the power to veto it because it's a constitutional amendment.

But how full-throated when you get behind the the opposition to that?

Well, you know, I think there is a real opportunity here in in my mind and the work that I've done my entire life in the classroom.

And as Lieutenant Governor.

>> I've always believed that public education can and should be a bipartisan non-partisan issue.

It's truly about building the best commonwealth, the best economy investing in kids that need it.

And that should be something that we should all be able to to rally behind and get behind.

And in my mind, we have 2 options here.

You know, if if the General Assembly decides to move forward a constitutional amendment that would vouchers or charter schools or whatever method they choose to move forward with.

I think it's really important to note, but the reason this is happening is because this law was struck down by the Supreme Court.

They have tried time and time again to get something like this through and it's unconstitutional.

So now they're looking at changing the Constitution.

That's really hard to do.

What?

What really a simple and the right thing to do is to make sure that every kid has access to the best education.

And I'm going to fight for that every single day.

I don't believe parents should have to take one more step.

To ensure that their kids are served the way that they need to be served.

I think they should be able to put their kids on the school bus every morning.

Drop their kids off at school every day and know my kid is going to be treated equally equally to every other child in Kentucky.

We're giving our kids the best shot and that's what I'm going to be vocal about.

That's going to be working towards.

And I don't care what party you're in.

I don't care what elected title.

You have.

I'm willing to work with whoever is committed to making that happen for kids right?

We also know that Kentucky kids face other challenges that are not just educational in scope.

>> There have been reports of sick kids who were in out of home care, sleeping on state floor offices we are state offices, the floor, state offices.

When we think about all the challenges facing Kentucky kids, hunger and food, unfortunate abuse and environments when their substance use.

I mean, it's not just education know.

It's the tap entire environment of the child that informs how well they do in school.

Is the administration prepared to take on a more holistic approach at child welfare that could lead to better educational outcomes.

As a teacher, I think about.

The whole child, right?

So often we refer to them as students in there, of course, and desks in classrooms and all of those academic things.

But the reality is a hungry kid.

>> Is going to be less likely to focus in in school, a kid that has to go home to abuse or neglect is less likely to be focused in school and that that negatively impacts the trajectory of that child's life.

I'm also an adoptive mother.

And so I have seen the struggles of our kids in our classrooms, whether they're in foster care, whether their couch surfers, you know, whether they are coming from a home may not be giving them everything they need.

It impacts their learning.

Absolutely.

But it also impacts their future family.

And those are all of the pieces that we've got to make sure that we're putting together for kids now, that's a tall order hunger and like you said, abuse and neglect.

The best education possible.

We've got to find a way to put that entire package together and it's going to take all of us, It takes the village of people that we have in Kentucky to help bring those kids along and make sure they have what they need.

That can be the the guidance counselor at the school.

It can their coach.

It could an adult in their life right?

But it's going to take all of us making sure that we prioritize every single segment of a child's life because we don't get too, you dissect the child to what we did this well, but this this and this is is still not up to par.

It's a it's incumbent upon all of us to make sure that all of our kids needs are met to the best of our ability because that's what gives our kids the best outcome at the end of the day, it changes their future family's life.

I've seen with my own eyes and know what it can do for a kid as Kentucky's highest elected mother that something that I'm committed to making sure that we work towards every single day.

Yeah.

>> And as you know, you're working with the General Assembly.

That is not of your party, a super majority that they haven't.

This question has been asked many times about and a second term administration, you'll be termed out.

What's the incentive for Republican lawmakers to work with your administration this time around.

Why is it different?

How are you working to make it different?

And we've heard some of the Republican leadership say there's not an incentive to do things differently than in the previous 4 years.

What do you say and what do you hope for?

Well, I say that incentive was made pretty clear on November.

7th.

You know, Kentuckyian elected a governor put people over politics.

They elected Lieutenant Governor who has worked in the classroom her entire life.

And and this is what they asked for.

They also asked for this General Assembly.

And so it's really incumbent upon all of us to find that common ground.

Are we going to agree on everything?

Of course, not.

But it really is important that we find the places where we can and we found those areas where we can move forward together and understand that there was a decision made back in Turkey and on November 7th.

This is the administration that they want it.

They they approved of.

>> Disaster response.

They approved of us being in Education.

First administration.

All of those things that we've been through together, Kentuckyian said we want 4 more years of that.

That's an incentive that it that should incentivise the folks here in the legislature to do the right thing for the right reasons and put politics aside.

That's what Kentuckians are asking for.

That's what they deserve.

And that is certainly what the governor and are committed to do for you already talking now with Republican leaders about what you can agree on in 2024.

Turn the session.

Yes.

And and let me to say, I think the the notion that the governor and our administration does it work with.

>> The Republicans in the legislature was quite frankly, an overblown campaign strategy the governor is in talks the legislative leaders think folks in office or 2 and and we do that because we want to make sure that we can find those shared priorities and move them forward and a half.

You know, we've we've done that.

There may be some things that we may not be able to see.

Add-on, but there are certainly things that we can.

2 made.

That should be the focus.

And again.

The governor rejected.

The culture war ideology.

We rejected the notion that that Kentucky has cared more about these manufacturer Culture wars than they do about jobs and health care and education.

And we are right.

And to me, that's the signal of what Kentuckians want and it's not a signal that the governor Nash get everything that we want.

But it's also not a signal that the General Assembly should either.

It's about coming together and working together.

That's what people want at the end of the day, how active will you and the governor be as we come up on 2024?

>> It's a big year.

Not just bought.

We have congressional seat and we have state legislative seats which we watch very closely.

So those contests will be up in 2024, how active will you be to make sure that maybe some of those red seats can flip to blue?

Well, you know, we're going to see how all of this shakes out after the filing deadline in January, the there will be some shuffling around.

I think we've already seen some legislators say that they're going to step down.

>> And and move on to other And so the deck is still being shuffled right now.

So I think we still have to see kind of how that that plays out but, you know, I'm I can tell you this.

I'm here to help anybody.

He'll support public education and I know the governor is going to be looking at these races as well.

Moving forward, Rocky Adkins.

Will he still service senior adviser to the governor?

>> As far as I so no changes of the at the tippy top, right?

Right to contest.

We still got all of our leadership in flight.

So as you know, and you know, this questions coming before 9 to 95 there for lieutenant governor's Martha Layne Collins, Steve Beshear, Bertha Jones, a pop and they all moved the governor's mansion since that time.

Steve Henry, State Pence, Daniel Mandato, Jerry, able some currently around engine in Hampton.

They did not move on to greater things in politics.

What's going to be for you after these 4 years because you have to already decided some time given the fact that there was almost a 60 million dollar race and 2023 in order to build up a war chest in order to build up your profile even more than you have now.

When will you decide when will you announce that you run for governor of Kentucky?

I've I've never been one to plan.

So far ahead.

I really do.

Just try to make the next right decision.

And that has led me to where I am today.

And so I'd like to say that that's working so far.

So I really do try to take that next step.

Make the next right decision in and see where it takes me.

>> And so that's what I'll KET And and to me, that is that's what leads me where I'm supposed to be.

And you know, at and Ed, you say you never want to get to out too, for your skis right?

And so that's what I'll KET doing.

And when the time comes, I think the decision will be clear.

But that time is not right now.

We've got so many things that we have to accomplish to finish up all of this.

All of the progress we've made in this first term.

And to me, that's what's going to shape the second term as the legacy of the bus year coma administration and making sure that we we cement that and that build off of this economic success that we make sure that we KET prioritizing public education.

Those are the things that have made us successful.

And those are the things that we're going to KET focusing on and all that other stuff will come.

Some of them.

>> I just recall on election night being another side of the studio and saying the victory hold between you and the governor and there were conversations about not just these 4 years, but the next 4 years for both of you, possibly national stage for the governor and possibly a bigger stage for you.

Lieutenant Governor, all due respect.

Have you not thought about being the state CEO?

>> So this seat offers me a unique opportunity.

It offers me a window into that that world, it offers me a stateside.

The CEO, And of pay attention.

Of course, I think about strategizing.

I think about how I can help and assist and advise and that's my job.

But again, at the end of the day, you know, these are decisions that really shouldn't be made right now, in my opinion, because the landscape of Kentucky is going to change the landscape of the country's going to change.

You never know what issue is going to creep up that you never saw coming.

If anyone knows that it's us.

And so again, it's really truly about making that next right decision thinking about being mindful about it, but also keeping an open mind to opportunities out there.

Yeah.

>> For other young women who are watching you and maybe they're not so young.

You know, maybe they're middle-aged and they're in an advocacy space and they're wondering how they can make even more of a difference in a may be a political space.

What would you advise them to do and not to do?

>> you know, I I think about me being that woman, you know, looking at 2 people like Crystal Allen and Martha Layne Collins and and so forth and so on.

And so to think of it, the shooting on the other foot is still a new concept to me.

But I think for women, I would I would give the same advice I did when I founded Lee, Kentucky, our tag Line was.

Find your passion.

Get involved and take the lead.

And I would say the same thing for women who are whether it's advocacy, whether it elected office, whether it is a leadership in a corporation on a board in whatever field you're in.

We all have.

That passion.

That sparks in us.

For me.

It was public education, of course.

To find a way to get involved in organizations found a way to find those niches of people our work on the same things you care about get involved in those organizations.

And once you're involved, don't be afraid to step out and take the lead.

I have a.

Made some scary decisions in my life to run for office, not just this time, but of course.

And in the state house before and I would not be where I am today.

I'm not made those decisions had not stepped out.

Had I not been and successful the first time would have been successful.

The second time.

And so you never know where those decisions are going to take you.

And that's why we say you try to make the next right one.

Yeah.

But for women, I would say find your passion, get involved and take the lead.

Make that last step.

We know that women are sometime hesitant, particularly to enter the political space to take those leadership roles even when it comes to corporate or nonprofit work, they second guess their ability.

>> Do you second, guess yourself every day.

And what way every day?

I I think about.

>> Made when I tell young women.

Don't let yourself succumb to imposter syndrome, right?

Easier said than done these years said than done.

And so honestly.

>> I have to check myself and say if our talking to the what what I say right now and that's why I get myself out of that space that it sometimes.

So second nature for women to question themselves, bored out and I want women to know I do it every single day.

But then I think about what I tell my younger self.

And that's always the answer, right?

It's always the answer.

When you think about in inspiring young women.

What you wish you had done in those roles.

And when you have the opportunity, you've got to do it.

Yeah, you don't doubt that you could be a governor.

A good governor to you.

>> I would say I doubt just in the day to day-to-day ways that are pretty common for But I I have loved this this opportunity.

I have loved this role.

And think about how I might be able to find myself in service throughout the second term and in the future, I probably will still doubt What I will always always remember to do.

I would tell my younger self today.

Yeah.

Just do it afraid, right?

Right.

You never get over the year.

You just do it for us.

Right in the time we have remaining talking about women's issues and this is not just a woman's issue.

So I want to say that first of all.

Yeah, but abortion and Kentucky's near total abortion ban.

>> And your and the governor have been have been.

I'm pretty adamant about support for exceptions.

How much will you advocate for that in this upcoming session of the General Assembly?

Well, I will say, you know, Kentucky voters.

Have have asked and answered that question, right?

I mean, they had an opportunity to vote on that caught on the amendment that was on the ballot.

>> And rejected it as did Kansas as did Ohio.

I could KET going.

These are not bastions of liberalism right?

These are these are people who say, you know, we've got to think about this.

We've got young women who are victims of rape and incest.

We have women, young and middle-aged who who suffer from a non viable pregnancies every day.

And we've got to be very careful with crafting policy around this issue because it is not black and white.

It is very much a gray area issue and one that.

Quite frankly.

I think young women.

Like Headley, that wasn't our commercial.

Can speak much better about it than I can.

But I think truly Kentucky hands have have asked and answered that question.

It will.

It will be interesting to see if the General Assembly takes notice of that or if they if they choose not to listen, the voters.

>> Many people who've the Kentucky governor's race, you know, said that the Hadley ad was the seminal moment.

Yes, and the campaign.

Do you believe that as well?

>> Absolutely.

Do.

Am I that young woman in October?

This one a matter of said you have more bravery in your pinky thinker.

Then most of us will ever have.

And I thank her for being brave enough to share her story.

I thanked her for making sure that she was a voice for other young women who may have gone through something like this who have been afraid to talk about it, who have been afraid to address it.

She gave a voice.

And a face to an issue that so often women are.

Told to be embarrassed about and told to hide.

And to me, she changed the landscape of this conversation in Kentucky for the better because we centered women's voices in.

Yeah.

>> We thank you tonight, Governor Jacqueline Coleman for being here in person.

This time we did this for years ago, didn't differently, but it's nice to sit across from me and we appreciate your time.

Appreciate your service.

Thank you for having the best to you.

And the governor.

Thank you for watching today.

You can always KET in touch with us on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.

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You know what's going on in your state and you can buy watching that program.

And so I see you again.

Take really good care.

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