This post is a paid advertisement by the Tate Reeves for Governor campaign.
Democrat Brandon Presley is working hard to distract from his comments in support of sex change procedures for children. The truth is obvious: Brandon Presley was asked whether he opposed or supported the REAP Act in Mississippi and whether he would have signed it. As Mississippi Free Press reported:
"Democratic candidate for Mississippi governor Brandon Presley would not have signed legislation that outlawed gender-affirming care for transgender minors such as puberty blockers, he suggested during an appearance in Flowood, Miss., at the Mississippi Press Association on June 16.
"“I trust families, I trust mamas and I trust daddies to deal with the health care of their children first and foremost, period,” Presley told those gathered at the Mississippi Press Association event on June 16."
In subsequent cleanup comments to Democrat SuperPAC Mississippi Today, Presley released a carefully worded position that claimed he would not work to repeal the law on the books. This is a meaningless recognition of the political reality that the legislature would never support that and not a candid remark on the true issue at hand.
The Presley campaign recently poll-tested multiple messaging lines regarding the issue, none of which included an embrace of the REAP Act. They are all carefully worded non-statements designed to leave an impression in the eyes of voters without a definitive answer beyond his original opposition to Mississippi's law.
As Magnolia Tribune reported:
"Among the messages tested by Impact Research are (screenshots of online poll questions included below):
A message that argues that decisions about gender reassignment for minors should be left to parents and should not be restricted by the government;
A message that downplays the threat radical gender ideology poses to our children; and
A message that builds up Presley’s Christian credentials and suggests he would not work to overturn Mississippi’s recently passed REAP Act, which prevents physicians from providing gender reassignment treatments to minors;
A message that firmly states that Presley opposes both gender reassignment surgeries for minors and allowing transgender athletes to play sports in divisions not matching their biological sex, but which leaves wiggle room on other harmful transition treatments, such as puberty blockers."
When initially asked about the REAP Act, Presley's campaign released a statement implying that they considered gender transition procedures to be healthcare and criticizing the Governor for restricting access to them: "'Under Tate Reeves' failed leadership, access to health care of any kind has been nonexistent for too many Mississippians. Instead of extending Medicaid to lower health care costs and deliver for the people of our state, he puts up smoke screens and touts any issue to hide his record on health care,' Presley said via the statement. 'As governor, I'm committed to delivering affordable health care to every hardworking Mississippian — no matter who you are — to lower costs and put money back in people's pockets.'"
The entire saga is deeply reminiscent of the Kentucky Governor's race, where Governor Andy Beshear vetoed legislation similar to the Mississippi law on transgender youth procedures. He now claims that he opposes youth gender transition surgeries, but does not attempt to reconcile that with his direct actions to the contrary. This is how Democrat politicians in conservative states act: say one thing and do another.
"Brandon Presley's point--that he opposes Mississippi's protections for kids and supports youth gender transition procedures--was made in his initial comments on youth gender transitions, and no amount of poll-tested, doublespeak talking points can undo his original candid answer," said campaign manager Elliott Husbands.
