MN-HD35B: Swing seat GOP candidate would support constitutional abortion ban 'in a heartbeat'

[RandySF]

The Republican candidate for the open House seat in district 35B told supporters at a campaign kickoff event in April that he would support an amendment to the state Constitution to restrict abortion, according to event audio obtained by the Reformer.

“I would get behind that in a heartbeat if it had any chance at all to win,” Steve Pape, an engineer and Vietnam veteran from Coon Rapids, told an event attendee who asked about it.

Pape identifies as a “social moderate” and studiously avoids any mention of abortion on his campaign website. He also hasn’t spoken about the topic in interviews with conservative or mainstream news organizations, a tacit acknowledgement that the issue could be fraught in one of the state’s most narrowly divided districts. In 2022, outgoing DFL Rep. Jerry Newton won it by just 232 votes.

But in April, Pape said that he is “strongly, 100% pro-life,” and that abortion is an issue that motivated him to run because it feels like “one knife cut of a thousand to kill America.”


https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/09/09/swing-seat-gop-candidate-would-support-constitutional-abortion-ban-in-a-heartbeat/

[Walleye]

1. In a heartbeat? Was that an unfortunate choice of words or was that deliberate? I wonder

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

2. "The contrast between the event remarks and his public silence on the issue underscore the degree to which Republicans a

"The contrast between the event remarks and his public silence on the issue underscore the degree to which Republicans are now playing defense following the U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision that led to abortion bans around the country. "

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

3. "Not saying it's not possible, but I'm saying that a whole lot of pro-abortion people need to go die or leave the state.

“We would have to surmount that problem,” Pape said. “Not saying it’s not possible, but I’m saying that a whole lot of pro-abortion people need to go die or leave the state.”

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

4. After being sent audio of the remarks, Pape did not deny that he made them but said, "I do not recall making the comment

After being sent audio of the remarks, Pape did not deny that he made them but said, “I do not recall making the comments voiced on the recording.”