Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Aug 17: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has called for abolishing the US Electoral College and replacing it with direct election of the President and Vice-President, arguing that the current system leaves large parts of the country outside presidential campaigns.

Beshear, a Democrat who is considering a possible 2028 presidential bid, said candidates should be required to seek votes across the United States rather than focusing their campaigns on a small number of battleground states.

“I certainly think it's time,” Beshear told CBS News on Sunday.

He pointed to his home state of Kentucky, where Republican candidates typically have a strong advantage, saying presidential hopefuls rarely visit because the outcome is considered predictable.

“In Kentucky we will never see a candidate for President or Vice-President unless they're from here,” Beshear said.

He argued that direct elections would force candidates to build broader national support rather than concentrating on a handful of competitive states.

Beshear included direct presidential elections in a broader package of constitutional reforms that he said could help restore public confidence in the federal government.

His proposals include term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, a constitutional ban on partisan redistricting and constitutional protections for portions of the Voting Rights Act.

He also called for the reversal of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which significantly changed rules governing political campaign spending.

“It is time. It should outlaw partisan redistricting and enshrine part of the Voting Rights Act right there in the Constitution,” Beshear said.

“It should create term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court. No more gaming those appointments. It should also overturn Citizens United, and I think call for direct elections of the President and the Vice-President.”

Beshear described the proposed changes as a major overhaul that could improve the functioning of government and restore Americans' confidence in the political system.

The Kentucky governor, however, said he has not yet made a final decision on whether to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. He said he expects to make that decision after his term as chairman of the Democratic Governors' Association ends in December.

“I haven't made any final decision on that,” he said.

Beshear described himself as a pragmatist and a pro-business Democrat, arguing that the Democratic Party must become more competitive in Kentucky and other Southern states if it wants to build a durable national coalition.