Andy Beshear Defends Newsom After Bill Maher Slams His Trump Trolling

Andy Beshear stood alongside his Democratic counterpart Gavin Newsom after Bill Maher denounced the latter’s attacks on Donald Trump on social media.

The Kentucky governor, who appeared on “Real Time With Bill Maher” on Friday, maintained a united front for the Democratic Party, while vocally applauding his fellow governor for the work he has done in California.

The discussion began when Maher suggested that Newsom — who has repeatedly imitated Trump’s fiery social media style on X this year — had “jumped the shark” with his online antics.

“Is this something you approve of? Do you think it’s an effective technique? Would you do it? Should we continue to do it? Should we stop doing it?” Maher grilled the Southern politician.

Initially, Beshear did not address Newsom’s behavior on social media and instead addressed the California governor’s Prop 50 measure, which will authorize temporary changes to the state’s congressional district maps — directly combating similar action in Texas.

“He took the fight back,” Beshear noted. “I wish we didn’t have to be there. I wish we didn’t have to. But, once Texas changes the rules of the game, we all have to play by the same rules. And so, I appreciate his leadership there.”

Maher then interrupted Beshear, emphasizing that this was not an example of trolling, but rather a strategy addressing a real problem.

“He’s backtracking on his path,” Beshear continued. “It’s not my way. It’s just not me. But I think everyone has to have their style and do what’s best for their people. But I think he stands up. I think he pushes back and I think that brings us all in our own way.”

Beshear later said he was feeling optimistic heading into the midterm elections.

“I think people don’t like extremism and feel that perhaps the country has gone too far in one direction and is now going too far in the other, which has an impact on their daily lives,” he concluded. “But before we even get to the midterms, Democrats are going to win the governorships of New Jersey and Virginia. We are working very hard to make that happen.”

New episodes of “Real Time With Bill Maher” air Fridays on HBO.