MINNEAPOLIS -- Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Matt Birk is under fire for comments he made at a convention last month about abortion and rape, the latest flash point in the campaign since the fall of Roe v. Wade.
On the same day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe, Birk spoke at the National Right to Life Convention in Atlanta. During his speech, he criticized pro-abortion rights advocates and said they "always want to go to the rape card."
"A rape is obviously a horrible thing, but an abortion is not going to heal the wounds of that. Two wrongs is not going to make it right," Birk said at the June 24 event. "It's a hard conversation to have, but that is the truth."
Later, he said that "our culture loudly and stealthily promotes abortion, telling women they should look a certain way, they should have careers—all of these things."
DFL Gov. Tim Walz's campaign blasted the remarks as "disturbing." Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan held a news conference with survivors of sexual assault Tuesday condemning the comments.
"We can't afford to elect anti-choice leaders who do not trust or respect survivors of rape and who think that we should discourage women from having careers," Flanagan said in a statement. "A woman's choice to have a career – much like her decision on when and whether to have a child – is none of Matt Birk's business."
A MinnPost poll of likely voters last month found 67% oppose a ban on abortions in all circumstances. In cases of rape, 80% of likely voters oppose a ban.
Dr. Scott Jensen, the Republican-endorsed candidate for governor, criticized Walz and Flanagan for running "a single-issue campaign" and took them to task for inflation and public safety.
"Plain and simple, abortion won't be on the ballot in November, but the Walz/Flanagan/Biden failed agenda will be," the campaign said.
Minnesota has its own constitutional right to an abortion as affirmed by Doe v. Gomez, a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court decision. A district court judge recently struck down many of the state's abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period.
Jensen, a former state senator, previously said he supports an abortion ban, including in cases of rape or incest, except for when a mother's life is at risk. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, he said he believed rape and incest "would fall within the realm of "is a mother's life in danger.'"
Walz is trying to mobilize voters around this issue, arguing abortion rights are on the ballot this fall and that electing Birk and Jensen would endanger the state's protections.
"Reproductive rights are on the ballot in November," Walz said at a June news conference. "This isn't a nuanced position between myself and my opponent. This as far as the Grand Canyon could be in how we view women and how we view health care."
Chris Chapp, an associate professor of political science at St. Olaf College, said abortion will likely remain a key issue this campaign cycle. He believes it could mobilize some voters who would otherwise sit out the midterms, especially younger voters.
"Given the [U.S.] Supreme Court no longer represents a constitutional right to an abortion, it's perpetually going to be an issue because who controls the governorship and state legislature is important to set abortion policy," he said.
In a new video on Twitter Birk released late Wednesday afternoon, he said he had done "over 200 pro-life events over the last 10 years and I've given the same speech pretty much every time." He criticized Flanagan for holding a press conference about his speech as "political shenanigans."
"I said culture tells women to focus on their careers. What they do is—they tell women it's either/or. You can have a career or you can be a mother," he said. "Why don't we uplift both of those things."
Caroline Cummings
Caroline Cummings is an Emmy-winning reporter with a passion for covering politics, public policy and government. She is thrilled to join the WCCO team.
Matt Birk, GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, under fire for comments about abortion and rape
By Caroline Cummings
/ CBS Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS -- Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Matt Birk is under fire for comments he made at a convention last month about abortion and rape, the latest flash point in the campaign since the fall of Roe v. Wade.
On the same day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe, Birk spoke at the National Right to Life Convention in Atlanta. During his speech, he criticized pro-abortion rights advocates and said they "always want to go to the rape card."
"A rape is obviously a horrible thing, but an abortion is not going to heal the wounds of that. Two wrongs is not going to make it right," Birk said at the June 24 event. "It's a hard conversation to have, but that is the truth."
Later, he said that "our culture loudly and stealthily promotes abortion, telling women they should look a certain way, they should have careers—all of these things."
DFL Gov. Tim Walz's campaign blasted the remarks as "disturbing." Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan held a news conference with survivors of sexual assault Tuesday condemning the comments.
"We can't afford to elect anti-choice leaders who do not trust or respect survivors of rape and who think that we should discourage women from having careers," Flanagan said in a statement. "A woman's choice to have a career – much like her decision on when and whether to have a child – is none of Matt Birk's business."
A MinnPost poll of likely voters last month found 67% oppose a ban on abortions in all circumstances. In cases of rape, 80% of likely voters oppose a ban.
Dr. Scott Jensen, the Republican-endorsed candidate for governor, criticized Walz and Flanagan for running "a single-issue campaign" and took them to task for inflation and public safety.
"Plain and simple, abortion won't be on the ballot in November, but the Walz/Flanagan/Biden failed agenda will be," the campaign said.
Minnesota has its own constitutional right to an abortion as affirmed by Doe v. Gomez, a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court decision. A district court judge recently struck down many of the state's abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period.
Jensen, a former state senator, previously said he supports an abortion ban, including in cases of rape or incest, except for when a mother's life is at risk. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, he said he believed rape and incest "would fall within the realm of "is a mother's life in danger.'"
Walz is trying to mobilize voters around this issue, arguing abortion rights are on the ballot this fall and that electing Birk and Jensen would endanger the state's protections.
"Reproductive rights are on the ballot in November," Walz said at a June news conference. "This isn't a nuanced position between myself and my opponent. This as far as the Grand Canyon could be in how we view women and how we view health care."
Chris Chapp, an associate professor of political science at St. Olaf College, said abortion will likely remain a key issue this campaign cycle. He believes it could mobilize some voters who would otherwise sit out the midterms, especially younger voters.
"Given the [U.S.] Supreme Court no longer represents a constitutional right to an abortion, it's perpetually going to be an issue because who controls the governorship and state legislature is important to set abortion policy," he said.
In a new video on Twitter Birk released late Wednesday afternoon, he said he had done "over 200 pro-life events over the last 10 years and I've given the same speech pretty much every time." He criticized Flanagan for holding a press conference about his speech as "political shenanigans."
"I said culture tells women to focus on their careers. What they do is—they tell women it's either/or. You can have a career or you can be a mother," he said. "Why don't we uplift both of those things."
In:- Politics
Caroline Cummings is an Emmy-winning reporter with a passion for covering politics, public policy and government. She is thrilled to join the WCCO team.
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