Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) blasted his Democrat opponent’s radical position on abortion over the weekend, pointing out that she evidently believes abortion “should be paid by taxpayers, at any time, including potentially the day the child is due for delivery,” deeming it an “outrageous” position.
When asked by NBC 6’s Jackie Nespral why he believes abortion should be in the hands of states, Rubio said it is simple.
“Because it’s nowhere in the Constitution. There’s nothing in the Constitution about abortion, and that’s all the Supreme Court said. … This is an issue that needs to be decided at the state legislative level just like anything else,” Rubio said, explaining that it is better for each state to determine where it stands on abortion, giving the people the option to reverse course via elections.
“What I think is ironic, though is Democrats are never asking, well, what restriction on abortion do they support?” he said, noting that his Democrat opponent, Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), will not say what restrictions she specifically supports.
Rubio said he personally believes that “innocent human life is worthy of the protection of our laws” but acknowledged that some bills may not go as far as he would like. However, he made it clear that he will continue to support legislation with restrictions because he is in favor of “any bill that saves lives.”
“And the overwhelming majority of abortions occur outside of some of these commonly discussed. I know it’s not a majority position. Many people probably don’t agree with me. You probably couldn’t pass it. That’s why Florida did a four month,” he said adding that Demings believes abortion “should be paid by taxpayers at any time, at any time, including potentially the day that the child is due for delivery.”
“That’s an outrageous position because — and you have to have that position if you’re going to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood and NARAL the way she is,” he said before further elaborating on his personal position on abortion:
Listen, to me it’s a moral issue about life. … I don’t diminish the fact that people have a right to control what happens to their body. The problem here there’s two bodies in place, and one is an innocent human life that I believe our law should protect at some level. And most Americans would tell you, this is a majority position, that after four months that life should be protected. Our laws already recognize that. If tonight God forbid some pregnant woman is killed by a reckless driver, that driver is going to face two charges. Face two charges. Vehicular homicide, one for the mother and one for the unborn child. Our laws already recognized that as a human life. All you’re doing is applying that. other states will probably have different laws, including laws that are much more permissive.
Indeed, Demings has expressed an extreme position on abortion, refusing to identify when, exactly, she believes it should be illegal. Rather, she has vaguely said she supports abortion up to the “point of viability,” but has failed so say when she believes that occurs.
“But what I also hear as I travel the state of Florida, from women and men, is that we’re not going back to a place where women are treated like second-class citizens, women and girls that were treated like property,” she said during an interview with CBS Miami’s Jim DeFede in August, identifying her support of abortion “up to the point of viability.” However, she refused to elaborate any further.
“You know, and let’s not forget the health care portion that is involved in reproductive rights. Women should have the opportunity to counsel with their doctors, and their doctors — in the privacy of that doctor’s office — should be able to make that decision,” she said, suggesting the doctor can ultimately “tell us all what the point of viability is.”
“But that’s my position — that I support a woman’s right to an abortion up to the point of viability,” she added.
A recent leftist poll showed Rubio leading Demings by a single percentage point.
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