CHICAGO, Ill. (WKYT) – Kentucky is sending 59 delegates elected by the Democratic Party to the national convention in Chicago this week.

The Commonwealth is also sending six automatic delegates, who are typically party leaders and elected officials, including Governor Andy Beshear.

Robert Kahne is one of the representatives from Louisville. It’s his first Democratic National Convention. He says there is tight security around the event.

Kahne is looking forward to hearing Governor Andy Beshear speak before a national audience Monday night.

“I really think he’s going to put Kentucky front and center in his speech,” Kahne said. “The thing is, so many people overlook Kentucky for lots of different kinds of reasons for whatever reasons they have. I think they’re wrong to do so and I think Governor Beshear is going to be singing our praises talking about the amazing work he’s doing here, and other Democrats as well.”

Beshear posted to X that he would be sharing a message of “hope, freedom and unity.”

Kahne believes when Kentucky’s governor was floated as a potential democratic VP pick, it helped elevate the state’s notoriety.

“I’ve been here a couple of days already, and whenever anybody sees that I’m from Kentucky, they don’t say, ‘Oh, that’s the state with Mitch McConnell.’ They say, ‘Oh, that’s the state with Andy Beshear,’ and I certainly think he represents the future that I would like to see for Kentucky,” Kahne said.

Some are using the event to highlight other causes. The Chicago area is home to one of the largest Palestinian communities in the country. Protestors have already started to gather outside the DNC, voicing opposition to the war in Gaza as well as other issues.

The Kentucky Democratic Party told WKYT they are not releasing the full list of names of delegates due to privacy concerns.

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