They were once political rivals from opposite parties. One beat the other for re-election.
On Monday, though, former Govs. Ernie Fletcher and Steve Beshear made a friendly appearance at the Kentucky Chamber’s legislative preview in Lexington.
Beshear, a Democrat who defeated Fletcher, a Republican, in 2007, credited his predecessor with establishing a statewide addiction recovery program, setting the stage for the Yum Center in downtown Louisville and bringing the 2010 World Equestrian Games to Lexington.
“I think I mentioned this once before, right after we were at the dinner out at the Horse Park, and I said, ‘you said all these laudatory things about me,’ and I said, ‘I didn't hear any of that in the campaign,” Fletcher said.
“I just found out about them,” Beshear said, to laughter from Fletcher and the audience.
Fletcher credited Beshear with making the World Equestrian Games a success. The 16-day event took place during Beshear’s first of two terms. It attracted 500,000 visitors from around the globe and had an economic impact of nearly $400 million.
Fletcher added a nod to the current governor – Beshear’s son, Andy Beshear, now midway through his second term.
Andy Beshear has received national buzz as a Democrat who won twice in a state that President Donald Trump also won.
“We may have our differences, but on some policies and how we approach some things, but by and large, we do agree that we love Kentucky, and you've shown that throughout your career, and obviously, see, you and now your family’s built quite a legacy in this state,” Fletcher said. “So thank you.”
When it came time to tackle issues that crossed state borders, Beshear told the group of business leaders that one of his best partners wasn’t in his party.
With the need to build new bridges across the Ohio River, Beshear found a friend in a Republican governor, Mitch Daniels of Indiana.
“We just said we're going to get this done and we'll figure it out and find a way forward,” Beshear said. “And sometimes he'd have to tell his Transportation Cabinet you're going to do it like they're doing it or vice versa.”
The two new bridges connecting Louisville and southern Indiana were completed in 2016.
