Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear stirred controversy on Tuesday. He seemed to suggest that GOP vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, should experience a rape-induced pregnancy.
Beshear expressed anger on "Morning Joe" with Mika Brzezinski. He criticized Vance for supposedly calling pregnancy from rape an "inconvenience." This was a Democratic attack, previously fact-checked as out of context during Vance's 2022 Senate race.
"Make him go through this," Beshear said.
During the MSNBC segment, Beshear argued that Vance should face the "inconvenience" of a rape-induced pregnancy. He discussed the Trump and Harris campaign’s positions on abortion and "reproductive freedom," stressing the importance of "empowering people to make their own decisions."
Beshear slammed "extreme" abortion laws in red states following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. He criticized GOP claims that Democrats support abortion through all nine months, calling them "fear tactics" and lies.
"I mean, JD Vance calls pregnancy resulting from rape inconvenient," Beshear said. "Inconvenience is traffic. Make him go through this."
He continued, condemning the lack of options for victims. "That fails any test of decency, of humanity."
Beshear also criticized former President Trump and Vance, saying they lack empathy. "A president and a vice president have to have empathy," he added.
Vance reacted strongly on X, asking, "What the hell is this? Why is @AndyBeshearKY wishing that a member of my family would get raped?!?"
William Martin, Vance's communications director, called Beshear's comments "disgusting, vile," and demanded an immediate repudiation from Kamala Harris.
Conservatives joined the outcry. Commentator Paul Szypula demanded an apology. Jake Schneider of the "Trump War Room" called the comments sick.
Mary Margaret Olohan from The Daily Signal echoed the sentiment. She said this hateful rhetoric is not uncommon, recalling a similar experience from 2018.
Later, Beshear addressed the criticism on MSNBC, stating he never wished harm on anyone. He dismissed the outrage as "deflection."