MISSOULA - The aftermath of the US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade is having an immediate impact on the mid-term elections, including here in Montana, where Democrat Monica Tranel is standing alone in her condemnation of the ruling.
During Monday's debate in Missoula, GOP candidate Ryan Zinke took the "conditional" approach to the abortion issue, while Libertarian John Lamb pointed to his own large family and beliefs, clearly stating his opposition to the procedure. That left Tranel alone to expand the issue beyond abortion to other points on women's healthcare and families.
"Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have any unwanted pregnancies? Wouldn't it be nice if there wasn't incest, rape? Issues of health [for] the mother of the child? Wouldn't it be nice? But it's not true. So, I think a ban is too harsh,” Zinke said. “But I can tell you open-ended -- as my opponent and as the Democratic party would suggest and support. I'm sorry, I do not agree with termination moments before birth. And privacy has limits."
"Oh, murdering somebody moments before birth? That is just absolutely crazy. Would you put a woman in jail for having a miscarriage? That's where you are, and that's not right. So, let's talk about what we actually need to be doing for our communities,” Tranel countered. “Let's support young families. And women have the right to participate in the world on our own terms. This decision is the first time in our history your freedoms have been taken away."
"For the federal government, I don't believe the federal government should be involved in our life. I'm for more of a state and local government, not a federal government. But I would definitely vote against abortion,” Lamb said.
