President Biden has accused Republicans of ‘undermining the military,’ and called out one Alabama senator – although not naming him – in particular on Thursday. 

‘The Republican Party used to always support the military. But today, they are undermining the military,’ he said. ‘The senior senator from Alabama, who claims to support our troops, is now blocking more than 300 military operations [nominations] with his extreme political agenda.’

The president noted he had nominated outstanding leaders of all backgrounds and that, for the first time in more than 100 years, the U.S. does not have a sitting confirmed Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Biden forecast that, by the fall, there might not be leaders for other branches, adding that a ‘partisan freeze’ is harming ‘military readiness, security leadership and troop morale.’

‘A growing cascade of damage and disruption, all because one senator from Alabama and 48 Republicans who refuse to stand up to him, to lift the blockade over the Pentagon policy offering servicemen and women, their families access to reproductive healthcare rights they deserve if they’re stationed in states that deny it,’ he accused.

He called on Sen. Tommy Tuberville to let ‘these generals and admirals fully serve their country, and servicemembers care for themselves and their families.’

Biden also stressed the importance of unity.

‘Let’s remember who in God’s name we are. We are the United States of America, and there’s nothing — think about this — literally, there is nothing we’ve ever set our mind to we haven’t accomplished — nothing, ever — if we decided we were going to do it. Nothing beyond our capacity when we act together,’ he said. 

It’s not the first time Biden has spoken out against Tuberville, calling him by name earlier in the month as he announced nominations. 

‘It has long been an article of faith in this country that supporting our servicemembers and their families, and providing for the strength of our national defense, transcends politics. What Senator Tuberville is doing is not only wrong — it is dangerous,’ Biden stated then. ‘In this moment of rapidly evolving security environments and intense competition, he is risking our ability to ensure that the United States Armed Forces remain the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. And his Republican colleagues in the Senate know it.’

Tuberville, who opposes a Department of Defense policy to reimburse travel expenses for military personnel who have to leave their states to get abortions or other reproductive care, has held up hundreds of military nominations and promotions – with pushback from senators in both parties and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The senator has said he wouldn’t stop the blockade unless majority Democrats allow a vote on the policy.

‘President Biden spoke last night at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium. He’s decided that this would be a GREAT avenue to use to attack me … he’s clearly mistaken. My stance HAS NOT and WILL NOT change,’ Tuberville tweeted on Friday. ‘I will uphold the rule of law. Stand with me in this fight and let’s send Joe Biden a clear message.’

In a call with reporters on July 19, he said if he believed it was having a small impact on national security, he ‘wouldn’t be doing this.’ 

‘We’re turning into a woke military, we’re turning into a military that’s soft, that’s dropped its regulations, its dropped its formulations to how we take recruits. This is not a business for everybody. We’re looking for best, the strongest and the most prepared and the most patriotic people to defend our borders, our country and our allies,’ he said, according to WVTM. ‘I asked that same question today (Wednesday) about readiness to the people who put this bill together. They gave some kind of lame excuse about how it’s affecting readiness. I didn’t understand what they were saying and I think they were just trying to make something up. It’s not hurting readiness and it’s not hurting recruiting.’

Biden said those who deem the military ‘weak, soft and less capable’ have ‘no idea what in God’s name they’re talking about.’

‘As Commander-in-Chief, I can tell you without reservation — not just being in this business for a long time, but being a student of history — we have, and always will have, the strongest, toughest . . . fighting force in the history of the world. And, again, that’s not hyperbole. That’s real,’ he said. 

‘Joe Biden is the least popular president since Jimmy Carter. He is in no position to attack anyone,’ Steven Stafford, communications director for Tuberville, told Fox News Digital. Further, the only one who has politicized and undermined our military is Joe Biden through the woke policies he has imposed on our heroes in uniform. Just this past week Senate Democrats voted to support Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate, which discharged 8,000 patriots from our armed forces.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday signed a bill into law that empowers the state attorney general to crack down on pregnancy centers that use ‘deceptive tactics’ to divert women seeking an abortion to alternate care offered by their programs.

The Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act prohibits crisis pregnancy centers from using deception, misinformation, or misrepresentation to interfere with access to abortion services or emergency contraception.

‘Women need access to comprehensive, fact-based health care when making critical decision about their own health — not manipulation or misinformation from politically motivated, non-medical actors,’ Pritzker said in a statement. ‘By empowering the attorney general’s office to battle deceptive practices, we’re ensuring Illinoisans can make their own decisions about their bodies using accurate and safe information.’

The new law allows the attorney general of Illinois to investigate complaints against centers accused of using such tactics and strengthens the power of the attorney general’s office to prosecute cases and issue fines up to $50,000.

The law ‘is about clarifying that the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act that applies to many businesses applies to crisis pregnancy centers as well,’ Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said at a news conference at a Planned Parenthood facility to discuss the measure. ‘This bill is intended to protect the individuals to access the full range of reproductive health care and make fully informed decisions including the right to use or refuse reproductive health care.’ 

Raoul also claimed that ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ use various forms of deception and misinformation to delay or prevent women from going to abortion appointments. He added that this issue has ‘amped up’ since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — the landmark decision that established a constitutional right to an abortion — returning the matter of abortion to state governments.

Critics of the law have noted ambiguity surrounding what exactly will define deception or misinformation under the new law, expressing concern that the government could use that vagueness to unfairly target pro-life pregnancy centers.

Illinois Republican state Rep. Adam Niemerg, for example, asked Raoul, who was in attendance during a spring debate in the House about the bill, to answer questions but was directed to speak only to the bill’s sponsor. 

‘Perhaps the attorney general can elaborate on some of these questions we are asking here,’ said Niemerg. ‘This is a very broad brush that you are painting with, Representative, and I think the people of Illinois deserve to know through examples what will be applicable and what won’t be applicable under this act. Don’t you agree?’ 

Raoul explained the bill is ‘about ensuring consumers have timely access to accurate information and medically appropriate care that’s free from interference, deception, and unfair practices.’

The new law has been met by not only criticism but also lawsuits, with the Thomas More Society, a nonprofit law firm, suing the state of Illinois.

‘This law is a blatant attempt to chill and silence pro-life speech under the guise of ‘consumer protection,” Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of litigation at the Thomas More Society, said in a news release. ‘Pregnancy help ministries provide real options and assistance to women and families in need, but instead of the praise they deserve, pro-abortion politicians are targeting these ministries with $50,000 fines and injunctions solely because of their pro-life viewpoint.’

Illinois Right to Life released a statement similarly blasting the new law.

‘This bill is a direct attack on the work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers and a violation of protected free speech,’ the group said. ‘As the language in the bill explicitly exempts abortion providers from the law while leaving the definition of ‘deceptive practices’ unanswered and open-ended, Illinois pro-life advocates see this legislation as a ‘gotcha’ political attack from abortion proponents.’

Illinois Right to Life went on to praise the work of pregnancy centers providing various medical services to low-income women and suggested it may take legal action against the state.

‘Full stop, this bill is a brazen attack on pro-life pregnancy resource centers,’ said Illinois Right to Life Executive Director Mary Kate Zander. ‘[Freedom of Information Act] requests determined there have been zero complaints filed against pro-life pregnancy centers, yet Attorney General Raoul and sponsors of this bill have repeatedly pointed to unsubstantiated accounts to justify this legislation. It’s a clear violation of free speech and an attack on Illinois’ pro-life movement. They have not heard the last of us on this.’

However, supporters of the new law counter that they’re fighting misinformation and protecting women’s health care.

‘Misinformation is a form of injustice, particularly when it is used in an attempt to control women’s healthcare decisions,’ Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a statement. ‘In Illinois, we refuse to accept anything less than bodily autonomy for all, and that includes the right to accessible and accurate medical information. We are committed to protecting Illinoisans from these manipulative tactics and ensuring all have the power to choose what is best for their futures.’

The Biden administration is searching for malware it believes China has buried in networks that control a variety of utilities to military bases, according to a report from the New York Times, which Fox News has not yet independently confirmed. 

One congressional official told the New York Times that the malware is ‘a ticking time bomb’ which could hand China power to disrupt movement of the U.S. military by shutting off water, power, and communications to bases.

U.S. officials also told the New York Times that the malware has the potential to be much more disruptive because civilians in many cases use the same infrastructure.

The officials also say that the alleged Chinese malware isn’t just apparent on U.S. soil, but on facilities that Americans control abroad.

Officials speaking anonymously due to the nature of the topic also said that the presence of the malware is more widespread than first thought, and don’t know just how far the computer code could reach.

Meetings in the situation room have taken place in the past few months as U.S. military officials try to understand just how big of a problem this is and looking at how to respond.

Adam Hodge, acting spokesman for the National Security Council, told the New York Times that ‘The Biden administration is working relentlessly to defend the United States from any disruptions to our critical infrastructure, including by coordinating interagency efforts to protect water systems, pipelines, rail and aviation systems, among others.’

‘The president has also mandated rigorous cybersecurity practices for the first time,’ he said.

According to the report, the debate inside the Biden administration is focused on determining what the goal of the Chinese malware is, and if it’s looking at disrupting military operations, or the life of civilians across America if conflict emerges.

Hints of the Chinese malware first emerged in late May when Microsoft determined that it found an odd computer code in the Guam telecommunications system, where the U.S. Air Force has a vast air force base. The code was also found in separate places in America.

Microsoft said in a late-May statement that it ‘uncovered stealthy and targeted malicious activity focused on post-compromise credential access and network system discovery aimed at critical infrastructure organizations in the United States.’

‘The attack is carried out by Volt Typhoon,’ Microsoft said. Volt Typhoon is a Chinese state-sponsored actor that focuses on ‘espionage and information gathering.’

‘Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that this Volt Typhoon campaign is pursuing development of capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia region during future crises,’ the statement reads.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon and White House for comment.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is courting Catholic voters in his bid for the 2024 Republican nomination despite no longer being a follower.

Pence spoke at the Napa Institute’s 13th annual summer conference in California Thursday, one of the largest and most influential gatherings of Catholic leaders in the United States.

‘I cherish my Catholic upbringing. I truly do,’ Pence, who converted from Catholicism to Evangelical Christianity in college, told the crowd.

‘What the world needs today is men and women of deep conviction and faith who will boldly live out their faith in the public square,’ the former vice president said.

Napa Institute co-founder Tim Busch told Fox News Digital ahead of the conference he believed Pence is sincere in his admiration for the church despite leaving it in his youth.

‘I would say [Pence] has great respect. He was formerly a Catholic. I know his grandmother is, and I think his mother is. And he often speaks about that in Catholic crowds,’ Busch said.

Busch also referenced Pence’s many Catholic staffers and advisers as evidence he held the faith in high esteem.

‘I’ve known Mike Pence for many years, and some of his closest advisers are devout Catholics. So, this is not an uncomfortable area for him,’ Busch added.

Pence contrasts most obviously with fellow Republican candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is a practicing Catholic but has made his faith less central to his presidential platform.

However, Pence’s speech was not focused on theology. The former vice president used the opportunity to pitch himself as a Christian candidate who would emphasize faith to a degree other Republicans would not.

Pence also touted the record of his time serving under former President Donald Trump, his most powerful opponent in the race for the GOP nomination.

‘I’m proud of what we accomplished during the four years of the Trump-Pence administration,’ Pence said Thursday. 

‘We achieved the lowest unemployment, the highest household income, the most energy production, the most pro-American trade deals, the most secure border. And we made the strongest military in the history of the world stronger than ever before.’

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is hoping he can find a rare area of common ground between Republicans and Democrats on immigration with a bipartisan bill that would streamline the use of temporary visa programs — something he believes will be a first step to more bipartisan work on the issue in Congress.

The HIRE Act would focus on the H-2A agricultural worker visa program and the H-2B seasonal worker program, which grants temporary legal status to nonagricultural service workers in seasonal areas such as landscaping, hotel and restaurant work. 

The bill would expand the length of the visas from one to three years and would allow officials to waive an in-person interview in order to renew their visa status for an additional three years.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Gonzales said the bill was a crucial tool to end the border crisis and said his aim is ‘to get Congress working again.’

‘And we always talk about immigration. We always talk about border security. And a district like mine that’s living it, we want this nightmare to end, and part of the nightmare ending is Congress having a role to play in this and encouraging legal routes where people can come over. That way, we can double down on illegal immigration,’ he said.

‘It’s narrow in scope, but it’s meant to be narrow in scope. You have to crawl before you can walk. You got to walk before you can run,’ he said.

The bill does not increase the number of workers admitted each year, but the Republican congressman says it would cut down on the amount of red tape faced by employers and immigrants. He noted that COVID-19 showed how tools like Zoom could be used to interview virtually.

‘There’s all these ways where you can have this direct interaction with an applicant, ask the questions you need, so you don’t need to change any of that, and then streamline it to the fact where you get rid of the bureaucracy, the red tape,’ he said. ‘Why does somebody have to mail in an application? Why can’t they go online and have a pull-down menu? Why does it have to be so complex?’

As for lengthening the time of the visas from one year to three years, he said it would make the route more attainable for small businesses.

‘Moving it from one to three years makes it more inexpensive for employers to hire these folks, and it encourages people to go through the legal route,’ he said.

The bill has been in development for over two years, and now has 20 co-sponsors — 11 Republicans and nine Democrats — and he says he is still pitching it to lawmakers. He said that by focusing on visas rather than citizenship, voting or access to social services, he’d found the ‘sweet spot’ in this Congress.

It has also picked up the support of a number of labor, immigration and business groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Immigration Forum, Americans for Prosperity and the Chamber of Commerce — which said the bill ‘will help hospitality firms, agricultural commodity producers, forestry companies, seafood processors, landscapers, and many other businesses find seasonal workers for hard-to-fill jobs.’

‘So it’s not a right or a left or a center bill. It’s kind of a mix of all. And I think that’s exactly the tone that needs to happen if we’re going to pass something in this Congress,’ Gonzales said.

Some Democrats and Republicans have previously expressed concern about the abuse of H-2 visa programs — particularly H-2B — arguing that it incentivizes unscrupulous employers to take foreign workers over Americans. 

‘We’ve long expressed concerns that perverse incentives created by the H-2B program encourage lower wages and poor working conditions for American and immigrant guest workers alike,’ Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa said in a statement in 2021 opposing the raising of the H-2B cap. 

This bill does not tackle reforms to the program, but Gonzales says the bill is a starting point in a coalition to take broader steps in the future. 

‘The goal is always: ‘How do you get Congress to work again?’ Come together in a real tangible way, and move the ball forward, and stop pointing the blame at somebody else, round and round we go, ‘It’s the president’s fault’, ‘No, it’s Congress’s fault’ is it’s always somebody else’s fault but our own.’ 

‘This is a big first step, but it’s almost a down payment, if you will, a down payment in a more robust immigration reform,’ he said. ‘But it starts here.’ 

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans led by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., have signed onto a letter calling for additional hearings on human trafficking, noting the recent blockbuster film ‘Sound of Freedom’ has raised public awareness on the issue.

‘The United States Senate must continue to conduct much-needed oversight of this administration’s border policies to find immediate solutions to combat one of the most disturbing consequences of inadequate border security: the proliferation of human trafficking,’ the letter to the Democratic chairs of the Senate Homeland, Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committee states.

The lawmakers cite estimates of up to 17,500 trafficking victims each year, with more than 1,300 investigations opened in fiscal year 2022 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and an increase of 50% of trafficking-related arrests. 

The Republicans blame the Biden administration for running an ‘open border policy,’ which they say is encouraging drug, sex and human trafficking, tapping into long-standing criticisms of the administration’s policies from conservatives.

There were approximately 1.7 million migrant encounters in fiscal 2021 and 2.4 million in fiscal 2022. The lawmakers noted ongoing concerns about a surge in unaccompanied children, which has been reported as fueling child labor trafficking in the U.S. They say it paints a ‘dire picture of the crisis at our southwest border that cannot be ignored.’

The administration has said it is cracking down on smugglers and illegal entry while encouraging the use of significantly expanded legal pathways for migrants so they do not need to use smuggling routes. The Labor Department said this week it is ‘leaving no stone unturned to root out exploitative child labor.’

The lawmakers note the issue of human trafficking has been back in the spotlight with the release of ‘Sound of Freedom,’ a faith-based movie in which a federal special agent quits his job and journeys to the jungles of South America in search of a victim of human trafficking. 

The movie has become a summer blockbuster, raking in over $130 million at the box office since its July 4 weekend debut. 

‘The movie, ‘Sound of Freedom’ … has played an important role in creating public awareness of this modern-day form of slavery,’ the lawmakers said in the letter.

Johnson presented a copy of the letter to Agent Tim Ballard and actor Jim Caviezel this week. 

‘Given your committee’s roles in overseeing DHS, we urge you to investigate and hold hearings into DHS’s efforts to combat human trafficking,’ the lawmakers wrote. ‘Without our attention and leadership, human trafficking will continue to plague this country.’

Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Saturday signed into law a measure that seeks to block state and local officials from closing gun stores during disasters declared by the governor, unless such closures apply to all other businesses.

Regarded as a win for Second Amendment supporters and Alaska residents, House Bill 61 — which was championed by Republican House Speaker Cathy Tilton and backed by the NRA — came in response to business closures in Alaska and other states during the coronavirus pandemic and protects a plethora of firearm businesses throughout the state.

‘Today is a remarkable day for Alaskans, NRA members, and Second Amendment advocates,’ Aoibheann Cline, the NRA Alaska State Director, told Fox News Digital in a statement. ‘A decade has passed since the last major pro-Second Amendment legislation, House Bill 24, was signed into law on April 11, 2013, reinforcing our ‘Stand Your Ground’ rights. Now, with the NRA-backed House Bill 61, championed by Speaker Cathy Tilton, we witness another significant milestone.’

‘The NRA, along with our millions of members, applauds Governor Mike Dunleavy for his unwavering support of our Second Amendment rights and for signing this House Bill 61 into law. This bill is not just legislation; it’s a protective shield for our fundamental rights during states of emergency, reinforcing the core principles of the Second Amendment we deeply respect and uphold,’ Cline added. ‘Today is indeed a great victory for all freedom-loving Alaskans.’

The bill also restricts state and local government entities from restricting an individual’s access to firearms, ammunition, and component parts during declared states of emergency. Prohibitions on gun possession would still apply to individuals who are otherwise restricted from having guns.

Defending the measure, Dunleavy told Fox News Digital that ‘firearms are an integral part of the Alaskan way of life.’

‘We use them for protection and to feed our families, so during an emergency our Second Amendment rights become more important then ever,’ he added. ‘This bill reflects the constitutional right Alaskans have to keep and bear arms by protecting access to both firearms and ammunition when Alaskans need it the most.’

Prior to Dunleavy signing the measure into law, the bill passed the state Senate 17-3 in May and was returned to the House for a concurrence vote. The House agreed 28-12 to pass the bill one day later.

State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, a Democrat from Juneau, Alaska, was against the measure, calling it a ‘special rights bill’ and objecting to the NRA’s lobbying efforts on the legislation. The bill ‘elevates in Alaska law the Second Amendment above all the rest of our rights,’ Kiehl said, according to the Juneau Empire.

State law allows a governor to declare an emergency if the governor finds a disaster has occurred or is ‘imminent or threatened.’ Disaster emergency proclamations are not to remain in effect for longer than 30 days unless extended by the legislature.

Dunleavy issued a series of public health disaster emergency declarations during the pandemic. A 2020 order by Anchorage’s then-mayor was cited by Tilton’s office as an example of a situation in which there were gun store or shooting range closures during an emergency declaration. The city had issued its own emergency proclamation.

Dunleavy’s signing of the measure comes one decade after the state enacted House Bill 24 – also known as the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law – in 2013.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is declaring a reboot to his campaign and boasting support from state Republicans after the Lincoln Dinner Friday night.

DeSantis scooped up endorsements from multiple state GOP politicians, attempting to cement a new start to his struggling campaign.

‘The Lincoln Dinner showed that Republicans have a deep bench of great candidates for President in 2024 compared to the train wreck offered by Democrats. Iowans will have a difficult choice for caucusing,’ said GOP Iowa State Rep. Bill Gustoff. 

‘But Gov. DeSantis knocked it out of the park in his short speech packed with a long list of plans to put the country back on track, complete with a record of accomplishment to show why he’s the one to get the job done.’  

The governor has been working to reinvigorate the campaign following several weeks of negative stories spotlighting his campaign’s overspending, downsizing and other stumbles.

‘Ron DeSantis had an awesome, energetic speech last night that offered a positive vision for the future,’ said Republican Iowa State Representative Dan Gehlbach. 

‘He’s ready to get to work on day one with specific plans for our country. DeSantis took the time to talk to every single person in the room after his speech at the Iowa GOP dinner, far more than any other candidate I saw.’

Former President Donald Trump, who remains the commanding front-runner in the GOP nomination race as he makes his third straight White House run, has expanded his large double-digit lead over DeSantis in numerous polls since the governor declared his candidacy two months ago. 

And Desantis’ advantage over the rest of the large field of 2024 Republican presidential candidates has eroded since late spring.

The economy remains a top concern for American voters, who continue to give President Biden a failing grade on the issue. Even though fears of a recession appear to be subsiding and inflation has eased, more than three-quarters questioned in the most recent Fox News national poll said the economy was in fair or poor shape.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Republican presidential candidate and former Texas Congressman Will Hurd was booed off the stage at a campaign event in Iowa on Friday after he began railing against former President Donald Trump.

The instance occurred at the end of Hurd’s speech at the Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines when he declared Trump was running for president ‘to stay out of prison,’ rather than to ‘make America great again.’

‘The reason Donald Trump lost the election in 2020 is he failed to grow the GOP brand in areas like women with a college degree in the suburbs, Black and Brown communities, and people under the age of 35,’ Hurd said as he began laying into Trump. 

‘One of the things we need in our elected leaders is for them to speak the truth, even if it’s unpopular. Donald Trump is not running for president to make America great again. Donald Trump is not running for president to represent the people that voted for him in 2016 and 2020. Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison,’ he said. 

The crowd erupted in boos, causing Hurd to have to pause his speech.

‘I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. Listen, I know the truth – the truth is hard,’ he said as the boos continued. ‘But if we elect Donald Trump, we are willingly giving Joe Biden four more years in the White House and America can’t handle that.’ 

‘God bless you and God bless America,’ he said as he departed the stage.

Hurd, a former CIA agent, launched his presidential campaign in June amid Trump’s continued dominance in the GOP race. He has said he would not sign a pledge to support the eventual 2024 Republican nominee which the Republican National Committee is mandating that all candidates sign in order to make the stage at the first debate in August hosted by Fox News.

He has so far not met the fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the debate.

Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has broken with his party when it comes to just how far he’s willing to support medical treatments for children identifying as transgender.

Beshear, who polls show maintains one of the nation’s highest approval ratings for a sitting governor despite leading a deep-red state, pushed back on Republican criticism last week that he supports sex change surgeries for children.

In a new ad titled, ‘Parents,’ Beshear says the attacks from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, his Republican opponent in this year’s gubernatorial race, concerning child sex changes are ‘not true,’ and declares he’s ‘never supported gender reassignment surgery for kids – and those procedures don’t happen here in Kentucky.’

He also referenced his promise to ‘support parents,’ who he says ‘know what’s best’ for their children, a position he has maintained when it comes to other types of transgender-related treatments, such as hormone therapies, which he refers to as ‘gender-affirming care.’

‘Andy Beshear has always been clear that he does not support gender reassignment surgery for minors – which doesn’t happen in Kentucky,’ Beshear’s campaign manager, Eric Hyers, said in a statement. ‘Daniel Cameron and his allies are pushing a blatantly false attack because they know they can’t win talking about Cameron’s record, which includes supporting cuts to teacher pensions and backing schemes to divert money out of our public schools.’ 

‘As governor and as a father, Andy Beshear will always support parents, because he understands that parents know what’s best for their kids – not politicians in Frankfort or Washington,’ he added.

In response to Beshear’s stated opposition to child sex change surgeries, Cameron’s campaign called foul.

‘Andy Beshear supports sex-change surgeries for kids because he vetoed the bill banning them in March,’ campaign surrogate and Republican Party of Kentucky spokesman Sean Southard said in a statement. ‘Now, in the heat of a campaign, Andy Beshear is misleading voters about his true beliefs. It’s a shame, and Kentuckians are smart enough to see through Andy Beshear’s lies.’

Southard was referencing Beshear’s March veto of SB 150, a bill to ban gender transition surgeries for minors, prohibit school discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity, and prevent teachers from being forced to use a student’s preferred pronouns.

In his veto, Beshear argued the bill allowed ‘too much government interference in personal healthcare issues and rips away the freedom of parents to make medical decisions for their children,’ and that it would ’cause an increase in suicide among Kentucky’s youth.’

A spokesperson for Beshear’s campaign told Fox News Digital that his veto of the bill was based on multiple concerns about the legislation, including mental health and parental rights, and not about the ban on child sex change surgeries.

Southard also pointed to Beshear’s veto of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act last year, or SB 83, a bill that prohibited biological males from competing in girls sports. In his veto, Beshear argued that the policies set by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association ‘allow transgender children the opportunity to participate in sports without disturbing the competitive balance.’

Those policies Beshear referenced allowed biological male children to compete in girls’ sports if they underwent sex reassignment before puberty, or after puberty if they completed changes to their external genitalia, received hormone therapy ‘in a verifiable manner and for a sufficient length of time to minimize gender-related advantages,’ and continued taking such hormone treatments.

Beshear’s vetoes of SB 83 and SB 150 were ultimately overridden by both Republican-controlled houses of the state legislature.

The race between Beshear and Cameron is expected to be the most-watched of the 2023 election cycle and is likely to be viewed as a bellwether for the 2024 elections.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 7.