In a campaign event held on a hot Sunday morning in Forsyth County, Georgia, about 500 Democratic volunteers and organizers gathered with a shared mission: to elect Vice President Kamala Harris as President in the upcoming November election. One of Harris' potential running mates, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, brought his own victories in the deeply conservative state to inspire and encourage the attendees.

Beshear, who addressed the crowd at the opening of a new campaign office, emphasized the importance of staying true to values such as compassion and empathy in order to secure a win. He recounted his own successful gubernatorial races in Kentucky, where he won by less than half a percentage point in 2019 and by 5 percentage points in 2023, attributing his victories to hard work and on-the-ground campaigning.

While Harris was not present at the gathering, Beshear expressed his admiration for her, describing her as both tough and smart, qualities that would make her a good president. He further praised her kindness and empathy, highlighting these attributes as the makings of an exceptional leader.

Beshear took the opportunity to criticize former President Donald Trump's track record, pointing out his multiple bankruptcies and felony convictions. He also openly criticized Trump's choice of running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, stating that Vance is not from Kentucky despite spending summers there.

Despite the Republican leanings of Georgia, the attendees remained undeterred. Jennifer Ambler, who attended the event and is running for state representative in District 100, expressed her support for having a governor from the South, emphasizing that it would enhance the campaign's competitiveness in the region.

The campaign event took place a week after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee. The swift backing from major political figures within the party led to Harris becoming the presumptive nominee, as delegates pledged their support to her during the Democratic National Convention.

Governor Beshear's ability to win statewide elections in Kentucky, a state that strongly supported Trump by large margins in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, has garnered attention from political observers who believe he could attract voters who might otherwise lean towards Trump in pivotal swing states.

As Georgia remains a swing state in the presidential election, with a slight Republican lean, Biden's narrow victory by 2 percentage points in 2020 and around 5 percentage points in 2016 has heightened the importance of strategic campaigning in the state.

Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her choice for vice presidential candidate by August 7, and the campaign efforts of Governor Andy Beshear and other contenders like Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Governors Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and Tim Walz of Minnesota will be closely watched.