Beshear Calls for Abolishing Electoral College, Ties It to Kentucky’s ‘Ignored’ Status

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Sunday that “it’s time” to abolish the Electoral College and move to direct popular elections for president and vice president, pitching the idea as part of a broader constitutional overhaul he says is needed to fix a “broken” government.

Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Beshear was asked what “big ideas” he would push if given the chance. He offered two, the first being an economic plan to boost housing affordability, and the second a set of constitutional reforms — including direct presidential elections — that he argued would restore public faith in the political system.

“People also think this government is broken,” Beshear said. “So, fix the darn government.”

Beshear’s list of proposed amendments included outlawing partisan redistricting, enshrining parts of the Voting Rights Act into the Constitution, creating term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and overturning Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court decision that opened the door to unlimited corporate and union spending in elections.

The most striking moment came when host Ed O’Keefe noted, “I didn’t realize you support abolishing the Electoral College.” Beshear confirmed it directly: “Yeah, I’ve said it a number of times.”

The governor framed the issue through the lens of his own state, saying Kentucky voters rarely see presidential candidates because the outcome there is treated as a foregone conclusion. “We will never see a candidate for president or vice president unless they’re from here,” he said. “Why? Because people just expect that it’ll go one way or the other.”

Beshear argued that direct elections would force candidates to “earn votes all over the United States” rather than focusing only on a handful of battleground states. “It’s the idea that someone would get elected not just knowing about seven states,” he said.

The comments come as Beshear, a two-term Democrat in a deep-red state, faces speculation about a potential presidential run of his own. He has not announced a campaign, but his appearance on a Sunday political show to tout bold proposals fits the pattern of a governor testing national themes.

His housing proposal tied federal funding to speed, calling for cutting through “overregulation and the NIMBY-ism” to break ground quickly. He described it as an “aspirational investment” aimed at lowering costs, especially for first-time homebuyers.

Beshear’s constitutional wish list, however, is likely to draw sharp opposition. Abolishing the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment — a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of states — a high bar that has historically made such changes nearly impossible. The proposal has been floated by Democrats for years, particularly after the 2000 and 2016 elections, when the popular vote winner lost the presidency.

Term limits for Supreme Court justices and members of Congress have also been perennial ideas, but have never gained enough traction to pass. Overturning Citizens United would similarly require a constitutional amendment or a future Supreme Court reversal.

Beshear’s remarks drew immediate reaction on social media, with supporters applauding his willingness to take on what they see as structural flaws in American democracy, and critics accusing him of trying to undermine the Founders’ design.

“This is a big idea that would, yes, change government, but in a way enshrined in the constitution where people would know it’s going to get better,” Beshear said during the interview.

The governor’s comments are likely to resurface in any future campaign, particularly in Kentucky, where the Electoral College system currently favors Republicans. But Beshear has shown an ability to win in a state that overwhelmingly backed Donald Trump in the past two presidential elections.

Whether the abolition push gains momentum remains to be seen. But by tying the issue to the lived experience of voters in non-battleground states, Beshear is making a case that could resonate beyond the usual progressive circles.

“I certainly think it’s time,” he said.

Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/08/16/gov-beshear-its-time-to-abolish-the-electoral-college/