New Beshear campaign ad attacks Cameron’s once long-held abortion stance; Cameron responds
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) — A Kentucky child sexual abuse survivor calls out Republican gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron’s long-held abortion stance in a new ad for Andy Beshear’s campaign.
In the 30-second ad, Hadley, of Owensboro, says she was raped when she was 12 years old by her stepfather after years of sexual abuse.
“Anyone who believes there should be no exceptions for rape and incest could never understand what it’s like to stand in my shoes,” Hadley said, before directly naming Cameron.
“This is to you, Daniel Cameron. To tell a 12-year-old girl she must have the baby of her stepfather who raped her is unthinkable. I’m speaking out because women and girls need to have options. Daniel Cameron would give us none,” she said in the ad.
Cameron had held a no-exceptions abortion ban belief throughout his entire campaign, even touting his closure of two Kentucky abortion facilities after the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling. However, on Monday, two days before Beshear’s new ad aired, Cameron shifted his stance on abortion.
On the Tony and Dwight Show on NewsRadio 840 WHAS, Cameron said he now supports abortion in cases of rape and incest.
“Obviously you don’t want to see– if someone rapes a child we are going to after them with the full force of the law. That should never happen and if our legislature was to bring legislation before me that provided exceptions for rape and incest, I would sign that legislation there’s no question about that,” he said on the show.
Again Wednesday, a few hours after the ad for Beshear aired, Cameron posted a one-minute video to X reiterating his shifted stance.
“He lectures us on partisanship and unity, then runs disgusting and false attacks,” Cameron said in the video. “I’ve said if the legislature were to bring me a bill with exceptions, I would sign them.”
ABC 36 reached out to Cameron’s campaign to confirm his stance on birth control and the emergency contraceptive pill, noting his response to a Northern Kentucky Right To Life Election Candidate Questionnaire where he replied “yes” to the following question:
Will you actively support (and if in a position to do so, sponsor and vote for) legislation which prohibits all use of local, state, federal, and/or Medicare or Medicaid funds for abortion (including chemical abortions, such as RU-486, or the so-called “morning after pill,” Norplant, Depo Provera, or the so-called “standard birth control pill”)?
His campaign responded with the following:
“Cameron does not include emergency contraception or birth control in his definition of abortion,” adding a link to a Herald-Leader story where he told the newspaper it’s “absolutely ridiculous to suggest I oppose or want to criminalize birth control or contraception.”
Beshear and Cameron will participate in a gubernatorial forum at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Louisville hosted by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.
As part of the forum, the candidates will be asked about their positions on issues facing the Commonwealth, based on the 10 areas in “Kentucky’s Winning Strategy,” the Chamber’s plan for talent attraction, business growth and workforce development.
