Top Democratic leaders are staying away from Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs’s suggestion that the government should not put any limits on how late in a pregnancy women can get an abortion.
Hobbs appeared on CBS Sunday to discuss her race against GOP nominee Kari Lake, who supports allowing abortions up to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. When asked what she thinks about that restriction and whether she favors any specific time limit on abortion, Hobbs indicated she supports no limit at all.
“I support leaving the decision between a woman and her doctor and leaving politicians entirely out of it,” Hobbs said.
Representatives for President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., all declined to respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on whether they agree with Hobbs’ stance.
Representatives for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., did not respond to a request for comment asking whether he agrees with Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs that there should be no limits on when a woman can get an abortion.
(AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR ARIZONA GOV IS LATEST TO SUPPORT NO LIMITS ON ABORTION
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) also did not respond to requests for comment.
Democrats are aiming to make abortion a major issue in the midterms after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade this year. They say GOP efforts to limit abortion, both at the state and federal level, are unpopular with the electorate at large and likely to drive turnout with their base.
“A nationwide abortion ban will be at the very top of Republicans’ agenda if they take back the Senate majority,” the DSCC tweeted Saturday, citing a proposal by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to allow abortions up to 15 weeks. “This is why we absolutely cannot let them win.”
Republicans counter that Democrats are the ones with radical proposals. They say most Americans support allowing at least some limit on how late people can get abortions.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment asking if President Biden agrees that there should be no limits on when a woman is able to get an abortion.
(The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)
TOP DEMOCRAT REFUSES TO SAY WHETHER SHE WOULD ACCEPT ANY LIMITS ON ABORTION
“I can assure you that a vast majority of Americans do not support abortion on demand up to delivery,” Graham told Fox News Digital when he introduced his proposal.
This week is not the first time Democrats have declined to say they would support any limits on when a woman can have an abortion.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, at a press conference last month would not lay out any restrictions on abortion that Democrats could accept.
ARIZONA DEM GOV NOMINEE KATIE HOBBS APPEARS TO SUPPORT ABORTION UP TO BIRTH
“I supported what was the principle in this country for 50 years, and that is the Roe decision, which was rejected by the Supreme Court and has now put our country into chaos,” the Washington Democrat said when asked by Fox News Digital whether Democrats support any limit on abortion.
Representatives for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., did not respond to a request for comment asking if she agrees that there should be no limits on when a woman is able to get an abortion.
(Fox News )
Murray also deflected when asked about Republicans’ argument that a 15-week limit is consistent with many other developed countries, including most in Europe.
“They can debate weeks and countries and everything else,” Murray said. “I know what my constituents want. I know what the women and men of America want in vast numbers. And that is the ability to make their own health care decisions with their family, their faith, their doctor, depending on what they need. I am not in that doctor’s office with them, neither should any other politician be.”
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Hobbs also said Sunday that late-term abortions are very rare and usually happen when something has gone wrong with a pregnancy. She made a similar argument to Murray’s by saying the government should not have any role in limiting when an abortion may happen.
“A doctor’s not going to perform an abortion late in a pregnancy just because somebody decided they want one. That is ridiculous,” Hobbs told CBS’ Garrett. “Abortion is a very personal decision that belongs between a woman and her doctor.”
