Josh Harder, a California Democrat running for U.S. Congress, said he supports abortions for any reason through all nine months of pregnancy, according to a video uncovered earlier this week.
The Washington Free Beacon reports the video shows Harder speaking at a July 2017 meeting of the progressive group Our Revolution in Turlock, California.
Harder is challenging U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham, a pro-life Republican, in the November midterms. The Washington Examiner reports the race is very close.
During the 2017 meeting, Harder said he opposes the Hyde Amendment, which prevents tax dollars from funding elective abortions. Later, he added that he supports abortions for any reason through all nine months of pregnancy.
According to the transcript:
“If I’m in Congress, I will absolutely sponsor legislation to overturn that,” Harder says. “And the reason for that is, I’m 100 percent pro-choice. And the reason for that is that I think that women should be, and are, the best judges for what they can actually have with their bodies.”
“So pro-choice, full nine terms?” an audience member asks.
“Yes,” Harder responds.
“No exceptions?” the audience member asks.
“No exceptions,” Harder says.
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The video has been removed from YouTube. However, it still is available on Facebook. Harder’s abortion comments begin around the 41st minute.
Harder’s campaign website uses more vague terms to describe his position on abortion. It says he will “advocate for a woman’s right to choose as well as access to affordable and quality reproductive services.”
Very few Americans support unrestricted abortions up to birth. Polls consistently show that a strong majority of Americans oppose late-term abortions when unborn babies are viable.
A 2017 Marist survey found just 16 percent of Americans believe abortions should be “available to a woman any time during her pregnancy.” And a 2015 Washington Post poll found 27 percent oppose banning late-term abortions. A Gallup poll in 2016 found similar results.
The Hyde Amendment, which Harder said he would vote to repeal, also is very popular among Americans. Polls indicate that most Americans do not want their tax dollars to pay for elective abortions. In 2016, while Hillary Clinton touted taxpayer-funded abortions, a Politico/Harvard University poll found just 36 percent of likely voters agreed with her. A 2015 Marist poll also found that more than two-thirds of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of abortions, including a majority of women and people who identify as pro-choice.
