Iowa 3rd District GOP candidates say all abortions should be illegal as Supreme Court weighs Roe v. Wade
Each of the Republicans running in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District affirmed during a debate Tuesday that they believe abortions should be illegal in all circumstances and without exceptions.
Their comments came as a leaked draft of a pending U.S. Supreme Court opinion showed a majority of justices appear ready to overrule Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, another landmark abortion decision. The court confirmed the authenticity of the draft, which was first reported by Politico, but noted it is not final.
Businesswoman Nicole Hasso of Johnston, activist and retired farmer Gary Leffler of West Des Moines and state Sen. Zach Nunn of Bondurant are seeking the Republican nomination for the House seat in the coming June 7 primary. It's currently held by Democrat Cindy Axne, who is seeking reelection.
Each of the Republicans raised a hand when WHO-TV journalist and debate moderator Dave Price asked whether they believe abortion should be illegal in every circumstance and without exception.
Iowa 3rd District race seen as among most decisive in battle for control of Congress
The future makeup of Congress could be critical in shaping the direction of abortion policy if Roe is indeed overturned. The Washington Post reported this week that activists and some Republican lawmakers have begun pushing for a national ban on most abortions.
Iowa is expected to play a key role in determining the balance of power in Congress. The race is expected to be one of the most contentious in the country as Republicans target vulnerable Democrats like Axne in an effort to reclaim a congressional majority.
Axne was re-elected in the 3rd District by less than 2 percentage points in 2020, becoming one of only a handful of Democrats to win in a district that former Republican President Donald Trump also carried. National elections analysts rate the race a toss-up, with both parties signaling they intend to invest resources in the contest.
Until this week, election rhetoric has focused primarily on pocketbook issues like the economy and rising inflation. But news of the draft Supreme Court ruling has brought abortion immediately to the forefront.
Nunn, who is a U.S. Air Force veteran, was first to address the issue in the debate, saying he's been a defender of life "on the battlefield, as a parent and at the Statehouse." He said the states, not Congress, should dictate abortion policy.
"We should not be unempathetic to the fact that a woman's right to health care is a real right and should be protected," he said. "But so is the life of an unborn child. As a foster parent of two kids right now along with our four, there's no greater burden as a parent and privilege as a person than to help be able to bring life into our communities."
Nunn is a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Air National Guard, commanding the 233rd Intelligence Squadron, 132nd Wing. He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2014 and the Iowa Senate in 2018.
Hasso answered next, agreeing that states should oversee abortion policy. She recalled the grief she experienced after a miscarriage in 2002 when she was nearly 12 weeks pregnant.
"I gave birth to my son, who had 10 fingers, 10 toes. He had eyeballs," she said. "And that was the hardest thing I had to do in life. ... I was in a place where I did not know how I was going to get out mentally. But by the grace of God, by knowing that one day I will see my son again in heaven, and that he is watching his mama right now standing on this podium fighting for every other child who is being murdered day after day after day."
More: Here's what Iowa officials are saying about the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned
Hasso has not previously held elected office. She decided to run for Congress this year after speaking out against issues that affected area schools, including teaching the 1619 Project and the hiring of a diversity director in Johnston district who had made controversial social media posts.
Leffler, who also has not previously held elected office, decried late-term abortions and said Iowans should have the right to make their own determinations about restricting or banning abortion procedures. When that day comes, he said, it will be "historic."
"For the first time, Iowans will have an opportunity to vote on this and let the will of the people be made known," he said. "Let the will of the people preside over the direction that this heads. Because we're tired. We're tired of Washington, D.C. and its dominance over what happens here in Iowa. Let's put Iowans back in control of this issue. I think that's absolutely critical."
Leffler, a retired farmer and financial services worker, is known for hauling his red, white and blue tractor to events across Iowa. He's running as the “Trump candidate" though the former president has not endorsed anyone in the 3rd District race.
More: Western Iowa town passes ordinance outlawing abortion within city limits
Democratic incumbent Rep. Cindy Axne voices opposition to striking down abortion rights
In a statement Tuesday morning, Axne joined other Democrats in calling on Congress to codify protections for abortions into law. She voted last year for the Women's Health Protection Act, which would guarantee abortion access across the country. It passed in the House but not in the Senate.
"Depriving a woman of the right to make her own medical decisions is dangerous and shortsighted," she said. "We already know laws that restrict access to health care do not result in fewer abortions, but instead force women to risk their lives and seek unsafe care."
More: After Iowa's redistricting, Rep. Cindy Axne is trying to reach new voters in 2022
Other questions touched on the rising cost of child care and the workforce shortage facing the industry. Leffler said Congress needed to cut back on spending in an effort to better manage inflation. Nunn said Congress should invest in child care centers without taking over the system. And Hasso said "the federal government has a workforce team" that hasn't done enough to address the situation.
The candidates also answered a question about how the federal government should respond to immigrants who are protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, particularly when it comes to investing in higher education. Nunn said there should be a pathway to citizenship for them as well as a robust focus on securing the nation's southern border. Hasso agreed they should have a pathway to citizenship while Congress focuses on the larger issue of immigration reform. Leffler said "President Trump had this right," and that laws must be enforced at the border.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa's 3rd District GOP candidates say all abortions should be illegal