EXCLUSIVE: Leading Oklahoma Senate Candidate Rep. Mullin Fires Back at VP Harris’s Opposition to Abortion Law

Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), the leading Senate candidate in the upcoming state primary to fill the vacated seat of Sen. Jim Inhofe, hit back at Vice President Kamala Harris’ attacks on the recent Oklahoma bill banning nearly all abortions, claiming the state is “the most pro-life state” in the U.S. and he is proud of its “unwavering commitment to protecting the unborn.”

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Thursday, Mullin addressed the vice president’s criticism of the new law, which she called “absolutely shameful.”

“I would just question her,” the Oklahoma native said. “What is so shameful about protecting babies?” 

“Today is the first day in over 40 years in Oklahoma [that] we’re not going to kill a single child from abortion,” he added. “That’s amazing.”

Mullin, who introduced a bill last month that would impose harsher punishment for those who perform partial-birth abortions, explained that the new policy serves to defend the next generation.

“That means we’re going to be protecting our next world leaders, our next teachers, our next changers,” he said.

“We’re protecting the next generation because we’re not willing to keep killing babies,” he added.

He then expressed outrage over Harris’ remarks earlier in the day.

“Here you’ve got Kamala Harris saying that this is shameful? Because [we’re] trying to protect babies?” he said.

In addition, the congressman called out Harris’ history of failure.

“First of all, how about you worry about your own backyard? What she’s touched isn’t exactly good,” he said. “Look at her state [California]. Her state is in a mess; it’s a complete disarray.”

Calling attention to her role as “Border Czar,” Mullin mockingly said, “she’s really doing a wonderful job. Her approval numbers are off the chart as a vice president.”

He also argued that Harris’ opposition was a positive indicator that the move was correct.

“I would say we’re in pretty good company when she has come out against us,” he stated. “I think Oklahoma is doing something right at that point because everything she’s involved in has been a mess.”

Addressing criticism of the law’s restrictiveness, the Oklahoma Republican reiterated that the state was protecting babies.

“We’re not protecting fetuses, we’re protecting babies,” he said. “These are babies.” 

“When you hear the heartbeat, that’s a baby. When you conceive, that’s a baby,” he added. “So we’re protecting our kids.”

Mullin, a father of six including three adopted children, and co-chair of the House Foster Youth Caucus, described his appreciation for his own children.

“As a father of three adopted children who loves them dearly, I thank the Lord every single day that their mother didn’t choose abortion; that she chose to go ahead and give birth to these three wonderful kids that are going to be true leaders in their communities and true leaders in the state and maybe one day even true leaders in our country,” he said.

“It’s either right or wrong and it’s wrong to kill babies and we’re protecting them,” he added. “I think our state legislators hit the nail on the head with this bill and I thank our governor for having the courage to sign it.”

Asked whether he thought the law would stand the scrutiny of the courts, Mullin expressed his belief that it would.

“If the rumors are true coming out [of the Supreme Court] that they’re going to bring Roe v. Wade back to the states and abortion [law] is going to be back in the states, then yes, it’ll stand up in our courts because that affects the majority of the will of our people,” he said.

“Our state is pro-life; that means we’re going to protect these babies at all cost,” he added. “And if the Supreme Court is going to put it back to the states and the states are going to choose — our state is choosing to protect them this way.” 

Mullin also noted that his run for Senate was intended to fight against policies opposed by residents of his state.

“I’m running for U.S. Senate to stop Kamala Harris and her far-left radicals from ramming their socialist California values down the throats of hardworking Oklahomans,” he said.

“Oklahoma is the most pro-life state in America,” he added. “I make no apologies for my state’s unwavering commitment to protecting the unborn.”

On Wednesday, Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the nation’s strictest abortion laws, honoring an election promise to end availability of the procedure.

Pro-life state lawmakers approved the ban enforced by civil lawsuits rather than criminal prosecution. The legislation is similar to a Texas law passed last year.

Under the law authored by Rep. Wendi Stearman (R-Collinsville), Oklahoma will become the first state in the nation where nearly all abortions are prohibited. 

In 2021, 5,950 abortions were performed in the state, according to the Oklahoman.

Representatives from Oklahoma’s four abortion clinics said they would stop, if they had not already, terminating pregnancies immediately upon HB 4327 taking effect.

The only exceptions in the Oklahoma law are to save the life of a pregnant woman or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest that has been reported to law enforcement. The law also does not apply to the use of morning-after pills such as Plan B or any type of contraception.

Oklahoma is one of a growing number of Republican-led states seeking to mirror the basic principles of the Texas Heartbeat Act since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Texas law to remain in effect while lawsuits continue against it.

Following the law’s passing, Harris said it was “the latest in a series of blatant attacks on women by extremist legislators.” 

Today, Oklahoma passed a law effectively banning abortion from the moment of fertilization—the latest in a series of blatant attacks on women by extremist legislators. It has never been more urgent that we elect pro-choice leaders at the local, state, and federal level.

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 19, 2022

In another tweet, Harris called the law “absolutely shameful.”

“This law, which effectively outlaws abortion from the moment of fertilization and takes immediate effect, is the most extreme state law yet and threatens the fundamental rights of all women,” she wrote in a tweet.

Oklahoma enacted an absolutely shameful law banning abortion yesterday. This law, which effectively outlaws abortion from the moment of fertilization and takes immediate effect, is the most extreme state law yet and threatens the fundamental rights of all women.

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 26, 2022

Earlier this month, Mullin led a House GOP resolution to expunge the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump in the wake of last year’s Capitol Hill attack.

He also announced his plan to introduce a bill rectifying the harms inflicted on Americans by the Biden administration’s travel mask mandates while limiting the government’s ability to mandate mask-wearing during air travel.

In March, he accused President Biden of significantly damaging national security by deliberately creating a border crisis to expand the Democrat voter bloc, calling for an investigation into the president over his actions as well as the “lawless activity” of his son Hunter. 

He also slammed the president’s attempts to force an unwelcome nuclear deal with Iran that only benefits Russia.