Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, the son of a former governor, criticized the background of Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), on Monday.

Beshear appeared on MSNBC and was asked if he would be open to being tapped as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate after President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on Sunday. After saying he would “at least listen” if Harris asked him to join her ticket, Beshear took a swipe at Trump’s VP choice.

“And I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like. Because let me just tell you that JD Vance ain’t from here,” Beshear said. “The nerve that he has to call the people of Kentucky, of eastern Kentucky, lazy. Listen, these are the hard-working coal miners that powered the industrial revolution, that created the strongest middle class the world has ever seen.”

“We should be thanking them, not calling them lazy,” Beshear added. “So today was an opportunity to both support the vice president, but also to stand up for my people. Nobody calls us names, especially those that have worked hard for the betterment of this country.”

“I think if somebody calls you on that, what you do is at least listen. And I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like. Because let me just tell you that JD Vance ain’t from here.”

— @GovAndyBeshear on the possibility of running for VP pic.twitter.com/M6MskbCixq

— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) July 22, 2024

Beshear’s criticism of Vance stems from the Republican senator’s 2016 book “Hillbilly Elegy,” where Vance describes growing up in a poor family who moved to western Ohio from Kentucky’s Appalachian region. After Trump selected Vance to run with him last week, the senator was slammed for how he depicted Appalachian communities in his memoir.

Vance was primarily raised by his maternal grandparents as his mother battled poverty and drug addiction. While Vance grew up in Middletown, Ohio, he spent time with his extended family in Jackson, Kentucky. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Marines and graduated from Ohio State University and Yale Law School.

Beshear was born into one of Kentucky’s most powerful families. His father, Steve Beshear, served as a state representative from 1974 to 1980 and as the attorney general from 1980 to 1983. He then served as lieutenant governor from 1983 to 1987 before he was elected governor of Kentucky in 2007, serving until 2015. The younger Beshear followed in his father’s footsteps, serving as attorney general from 2016 to 2019 before he was elected governor.

An MSNBC host also criticized Vance after the vice presidential nominee said he wanted to be buried in his family’s plot in Kentucky. The host, Alex Wagner, called Vance’s wish an “Easter egg of white nationalism.”

During his speech at the Republican National Convention last week, Vance opened up about his family and introduced his mother to the crowd.

“Our movement is about single moms like mine who struggled with money and addiction but never gave up,” Vance said. “And I’m proud to say that tonight my mom is here, 10 years clean and sober. I love you, Mom.”

‘I LOVE YOU’: JD Vance stuns RNC crowd with sentimental line about his mom during speech. https://t.co/Szu6PcXUOH pic.twitter.com/QFiRYnWNEn

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 18, 2024