BREAKING: Red State Governors push back on Biden’s vaccine mandate

In President Biden’s speech outlining the steps that’ll be taken by the federal government to mandate COVID vaccines, he called out state governors for undermining his agenda on this front.

As first pointed out by The Daily Wire, several of those governors are now responding to Biden’s remarks.

• Alabama: Governor Kay Ivey said “Once again, President Biden has missed the mark. His outrageous, overreaching mandates will no doubt be challenged in the courts. Placing more burdens on both employers and employees during a pandemic with the rising inflation rates and lingering labor shortages is totally unacceptable.”
• Alaska: Governor Mike Dunleavy said "This is ridiculous and unenforceable. If there was ever a case for the 25th Amendment…"
• Arkansas: Governor Asa Hutchinson said "I fully support continued efforts to increase vaccination rates across our nation, but the federal government mandates on private businesses are not the right answer. I have been consistent in the freedom of businesses to require their employees to be vaccinated, and I have opposed the government from saying businesses cannot exercise that freedom. The same principle should protect the private sector from government overreach that requires them to vaccinate all employees."
• Arizona: Governor Doug Ducey said "This is exactly the kind of big government overreach we have tried so hard to prevent in Arizona — now the Biden-Harris administration is hammering down on private businesses and individual freedoms in an unprecedented and dangerous way. This will never stand up in court. This dictatorial approach is wrong, un-American and will do far more harm than good. How many workers will be displaced? How many kids kept out of classrooms? How many businesses fined? The vaccine is and should be a choice. We must and will push back."
• Georgia: Governor Brian Kemp said "I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration."
• Indiana: The state's attorney general said "Biden's decision to demand American workers get vaccinated or risk losing their jobs is what one would expect of dictators in a banana republic. In IN we do not rule by fiat, and I will not allow the president to destroy our guaranteed freedoms and our economy at the same time."
• Iowa: Governor Kim Reynolds said "President Biden is taking dangerous and unprecedented steps to insert the federal government even further into our lives while dismissing the ability of Iowans and Americans to make healthcare decisions for themselves. Biden’s plan will only worsen our workforce shortage and further limit our economic recovery. As I’ve said all along, I believe and trust in Iowans to make the best health decisions for themselves and their families. It’s time for President Biden to do the same. Enough is enough.
• Mississippi: Governor Tate Reeves said "The President has no authority to require that Americans inject themselves because of their employment at a private business. The vaccine itself is life-saving, but this unconstitutional move is terrifying. This is still America, and we still believe in freedom from tyrants."
• Missouri: Governor Mike Parson said "The Biden Administration’s recent announcement seeking to dictate personal freedom and private business decisions is an insult to our American principles of individual liberty and free enterprise. This heavy-handed action by the federal government is unwelcome in our state and has potentially dangerous consequences for working families. Vaccination protects us from serious illness, but the decision to get vaccinated is a private health care decision that should remain as such. My administration will always fight back against federal power grabs and government overreach that threatens to limit our freedoms."
• Montana: Governor Greg Gianforte said "President Biden’s vaccination mandate is unlawful and un-American. We are committed to protecting Montanans’ freedoms and liberties against this gross federal overreach."
• Nebraska: Governor Pete Ricketts said "President Biden’s announcement is a stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal government’s power. This plan isn’t about public health – this is about government control and taking away personal liberties. Americans, not the federal government, are responsible for taking charge of their personal health. It is not the role of the federal government to mandate their choices. Nebraska will stand up to President Biden’s overreach, and we will be working with the Attorney General to explore all our options."
• North Dakota: Governor Doug Burgum said "President Biden's misguided plan steers our country down a dangerous path away from states' rights and the freedom of private businesses to make their own decisions on vaccinations. We stand opposed to this blatant federal overreach. Safe, effective vaccines remain our best tool for preserving hospital capacity and ensuring access to care, but forcing a vaccine mandate on private employers is not the role of the state or federal government."
• Oklahoma: Governor Kevin Stitt said "It is not the government’s role to dictate to private businesses what to do. Once again President Biden is demonstrating his complete disregard for individual freedoms and states’ rights. As long as I am governor, there will be no government vaccine mandates in Oklahoma. My administration will continue to defend Oklahoma values and fight back against the Biden administration’s federal overreach."
• South Carolina: Governor Henry McMaster said "The American Dream has turned into a nightmare under President Biden and the radical Democrats. They have declared war against capitalism, thumbed their noses at the Constitution, and empowered our enemies abroad."
• South Dakota: Governor Kristi Noem said "My legal team is standing by ready to file our lawsuit the minute @joebiden files his unconstitutional rule. This gross example of federal intrusion will not stand."
• Tennessee: Governor Bill Lee said "'This is not about freedom' is a phrase that should never come out of a U.S. President’s mouth. For a fight that requires working together, a lot of cynical and divisive edicts came out of the White House today pitting the vaccinated against the unvaccinated, businesses against employees, and the federal government against states. The Constitution won’t allow this power grab, and in the meantime, I will stand up for all Tennesseans. To be clear: the vaccine is the best tool we have to combat the pandemic but heavy-handed mandates are the wrong approach."
• Utah: Governor Spencer Cox said "While we support efforts that encourage vaccinations, we have serious concerns about the legality of the order." Remarks by the state's attorney general say "the federal government should not be able to mandate such a personal medical decision to employers and individuals."
• West Virginia: State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said "State AGs, including WV, will not tolerate such blatant & illegal federal overreach from @POTUS. Buckle up America— our President is the opposite of a unifier in chief. Looking forward to seeing more details about Biden’s wild vaccine proposal. We’ll protect WV & America."
• Wyoming: Governor Mark Gordon said "The Biden Administration’s announcement to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing for private businesses is an egregious example of big government overreach. Our Constitution was written and fought for to protect our liberties as American citizens. This administration’s latest pronouncement demonstrates its complete disregard for the rule of law and the freedoms individuals and private companies enjoy under our Constitution. In Wyoming, we believe that government must be held in check. I have asked the Attorney General to stand prepared to take all actions to oppose this administration’s unconstitutional overreach of executive power. It has no place in America. Not now, and not ever."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's office informed The Post Millennial that he will not be responding tonight, as he had already made remarks at a press event in the afternoon when he addressed the proposed vaccine mandate prior to Biden's remarks.

"I could say the one thing that I'm concerned about is them trying to force mandates on individuals and businesses," said DeSantis. "How could we get to the point in the country where you would want to have someone lose their job because of their choice about the vaccine or not? I mean look, some folks have reasons to do, maybe they're making the wrong decision, but to put them out of work and send them and not let them earn a living because of this. I just think that that's fundamentally wrong."

"As the governor said: Vaccine mandates are unscientific, ineffective, and 'fundamentally wrong.' In Florida, we will fight back," reiterated DeSantis' Press Secretary Christina Pushaw.

Over the summer the White House squared off in open opposition to the state’s COVID restrictions and requirements. Biden’s actions about compensation if the state withholds funding for school board members is in direct response to Florida’s situation.