Gov. Kay Ivey will not accompany President Joe Biden during his Tuesday visit to Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations facility in Troy.
The commander-in-chief is visiting the defense industry powerhouse’s Troy facility to tour the home of the Javelin missile, which his administration has utilized to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion.
Tuesday, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) released a statement touting Alabama’s accomplishments under the Ivey administration.
While noting that a presidential visit to the state is significant, RGA spokesman and Alabama native Will Reinert asserted that Biden should visit the U.S. southern border rather than Alabama, “where Kay Ivey has things running just fine.”
“Despite Joe Biden and countless roadblocks thrown up by his administration, Governor Kay Ivey created 50,000 new jobs, achieved the lowest unemployment rate in Alabama’s history, and transformed Alabama’s roads and bridges,” said Reinert. “It is always a special day when the President of the United States visits the state. However, Alabamians would be better served by President Biden making his first-ever trip to the southern border — instead of the Yellowhammer State where Kay Ivey has things running just fine.”
Ivey has routinely criticized Biden’s handling of the border crisis. The governor recently announced Alabama’s participation in the American Governors’ Border Strike Force in a state-coordinated effort to combat illegal immigration.
Last month, Ivey’s reelection campaign released a TV ad taking aim at the president over his administration’s immigration policies.
Biden’s visit to Alabama is his first in-state appearance since assuming the presidency.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.