Fetterman went on to say that Oz “celebrated when Roe v. Wade went down and my campaign would fight for Roe v. Wade, and if given the opportunity, to codify it into law.”
Oz, in turn, quickly pounced on Fetterman’s response on abortion restrictions, pointing to the Democrat’s support of the radical pro-abortion Women’s Health Protection Act. Unlike Roe, which allowed some limited state regulations, the Democrat-backed proposed law would permit abortion up to the moment of birth while prohibiting any state restrictions.
“That’s radical, that’s extreme, that is out of touch with what the average voter in Pennsylvania believes is appropriate,” Oz said.
According to the EWTN poll, 19% of likely Catholic voters in Pennsylvania say abortion should be available to a woman at any time, while 10.6% say abortion should be allowed only during the first six months of pregnancy.
In favor of more protection for the unborn child, 18.1% say abortion should be allowed until 15 weeks when the baby can feel pain and 7.8% say that abortion should be allowed only until a heartbeat can be detected.
A plurality (29%) say abortion should only be allowed in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, with 8.6% saying it should be allowed only to save the life of the mother. Only 6.9% agree with Church teaching that it should never be permitted.
While Fetterman has vowed to protect Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, and repeal the Hyde Amendment, which generally prohibits federal funding from going toward abortion, Oz’s position on abortion is more complicated.
The Republican calls himself “100% pro-life” on his campaign website, but supports abortion in cases of rape and incest and to save the life of the mother, Politico reports. At the same time, in a recording published by The Daily Beast, Oz said in May that he believed “life starts at conception.”
In the past, Oz has expressed support for abortion to remain legal. During a 2019 interview with The Breakfast Club, he admitted that while he does not want his family members to get an abortion, “I don’t want to interfere with everyone else’s stuff.”
Most recently, in an Oct. 14 interview with NBC, he said he opposed federal restrictions on abortion, including the proposed 15-week abortion ban, saying that the decision should be left up to the states, as now permitted under the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe.
Katie Yoder is a correspondent in CNA’s Washington, D.C. bureau. She covers pro-life issues, the U.S. Catholic bishops, public policy, and Congress. She previously worked for Townhall.com, National Review, and the Media Research Center.
Shannon Mullen is the Editor-in-Chief of CNA. He previously worked as a features writer, investigative reporter, and editor with the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press. He has received numerous national reporting awards and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
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