Childhood Rape Survivor Slams Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron In Brutal New Campaign Ad

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on Wednesday released a brutal new campaign ad against his GOP challenger, Daniel Cameron, featuring a childhood rape survivor ripping Cameron over his hardline opposition to abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

I was raped by my stepfather after years of sexual abuse. I was 12, a young woman named Hadley says in the ad. Anyone who believes there should be no exceptions for rape and incest could never understand what its like to stand in my shoes.

This is to you, Daniel Cameron, Hadley says, looking directly into the camera.

To tell a 12 year-old-girl she must have the baby of her stepfather who raped her is unthinkable, she says. Im speaking out because women and girls need to have options. Daniel Cameron would give us none.

You can watch the ad here:

#KYGov: The Andy Beshear campaign is up on TV with this spot --

Hadley to camera:

\"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\" pic.twitter.com/2tW09U4ZUO

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To tell a 12-year-old girl she must have the baby of her stepfather who raped her is unthinkable\" pic.twitter.com/2tW09U4ZUO Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) September 20, 2023\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Medium Buying on 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#KYGov : The Andy Beshear campaign is up on TV with this spot --

Hadley to camera:

"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" pic.twitter.com/2tW09U4ZUO
Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) September 20, 2023

Camerons campaign quickly responded with a video of its own , featuring Cameron speaking directly into the camera and calling Beshears ad despicable.

Andy Beshear is running the most despicable campaign in Kentucky history. He lectures us on partisanship and unity, then runs disgusting, false attacks, he said. I have said if the legislature were to bring me a bill with exceptions, I would sign it.

But Cameron, who is currently Kentuckys attorney general, has suggested for months that he opposes any exceptions to abortion for survivors of rape and incest. It wasnt until this week, as the Nov. 7 gubernatorial election nears, that hes changed his public position. Beshears campaign has made abortion a central issue in their race, casting Cameron as an extreme and dangerous candidate for governor in a state where voters rejected an anti-abortion constitutional amendment last year.

In a Monday interview on the Tony & Dwight local radio show, Cameron was asked about attacks against him over his opposition to abortion and, specifically, to exceptions for survivors of rape.

If our legislature was to bring legislation before me that provided exceptions for rape and incest, I would sign that legislation, Cameron said. Theres no question about that.

The Beshear administration and the Beshear campaign are running a smear campaign against me, he continued. But its not going to work because people see through the trash they are trying to put out on television.

Camerons comments on Monday are a stark contrast to his longstanding support for the states near-total ban on abortion, which has no exceptions for rape or incest.

In an April interview on WKYT, Cameron was asked if he supports the existing ban.

Im going to continue to support and defend the Human Life Protection Act and continue the work that weve done in court to make sure that law stays intact, Cameron said.

When the anchor specifically asked if he supports the bills lack of exceptions for rape or incest, Cameron responded, Well, there is an exception, obviously, for the life of the mother. And Im going to continue to support that Human Life Protection Act.