Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear traveled to Vice President JD Vance's home county in Ohio over the weekend, delivering sharp criticism of Vance at a Democratic fundraiser that highlighted early positioning for the 2028 presidential race.

Speaking Saturday night in Butler County, Beshear attacked Vance's memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," calling it "really hillbilly hate" and "poverty tourism." The Democratic governor argued that Vance had abandoned the working-class communities he wrote about and said the book "trafficked in tired stereotypes." Beshear also disputed Vance's Appalachian credentials, stating "he ain't from Appalachia."

The criticism reflects a broader Democratic strategy to begin defining Vance, who at 41 is widely viewed as a potential Republican presidential nominee after Trump. Democratic strategist Lis Smith said the party should begin targeting Vance now rather than waiting until 2027 or 2028, describing him as "a clear front-runner for the 2028 nomination."

Other potential Democratic presidential candidates have also begun focusing on Vance. California Representative Ro Khanna has given speeches attempting to portray Vance as more extreme than Trump, while Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called Vance "a total phony" in November. California Governor Gavin Newsom has mocked Vance on social media with the nickname "JD 'Just Dance' Vance."

Vance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk dismissed Beshear's attacks, saying the governor "ends up humiliating himself in the process" when he criticizes the vice president for publicity. The vice president was born and raised in Butler County's Middletown and gained prominence with his 2016 memoir before winning a Senate seat in 2022.

Beshear, who has won elections in Republican-leaning Kentucky, positioned himself as someone who can appeal to voters who have rejected Democrats elsewhere. He told the audience that Democrats can win back voters "that JD Vance is so condescending to" by focusing on basic needs like healthcare and public safety, citing his own success in counties that typically vote Republican by large margins.