LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is taking plenty of heat from Republicans after comments he made Tuesday morning on MSNBC regarding JD Vance's past statements about rape.
Beshear, less than 12 hours removed from the DNC stage in Chicago, appeared on "Morning Joe" Tuesday morning. He brought up Vance's past comments suggesting pregnancy resulting from rape is "inconvenient" while emphasizing his belief there should be exceptions in Kentucky abortion law for rape, incest and nonviable pregnancies.
"JD Vance calls pregnancy resulting from rape 'inconvenient,'" Beshear said. "An inconvenience is traffic. I mean...make him go through this. It is someone being violated, someone being harmed. Then telling them they don't have options. That fails any test of decency and humanity."
You watch Beshear's full interview here.
Republicans, including Vance, pounced on his comments, suggesting Beshear was "wishing" for someone in Vance's family to be raped. Vance, who is Donald Trump's running mate, responded on X:
"What the hell is this? Why is Andy Beshear wishing that a member of my family would get raped?!? What a disgusting person."
The Trump-Vance campaign also released a statement Tuesday:
"After speaking on the DNC main stage last night, Harris campaign surrogate Governor Andy Beshear went on national television this morning and explicitly called for a member of Senator Vance’s family to be raped," a spokesman said. "His comments are disgusting, vile, and should not be tolerated in American politics. We call on Kamala Harris to immediately repudiate Governor Beshear’s comments and demonstrate that regardless of partisan disagreements, this kind of violent rhetoric has no place in our public discourse."
Beshear appeared on MSNBC later Tuesday and clarified his comments. He suggested Vance was trying to paint himself as a victim.
[Vance's criticism] is ridiculous and it's also deflection," Beshear said. "JD Vance knows he and Donald Trump are so wrong on this issue, and so he's trying to make himself the victim...as a man, JD Vance will never have to face any of this personally. It's sad he lacks the empathy to be able to put himself in a different position and understand why having exceptions is so important. Obviously I would never wish harm on anyone."
WHAS11 reached out to Beshear's office for comment. They had not responded as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Beshear spoke for about five minutes on the first night of the DNC. The bulk of his comments focused on reproductive rights.
Kentucky law does not allow abortions in the case of rape or incest.
