Northwest Iowa — (RI) — Iowa 4th District Republican Congressman Steve King is drawing criticism from Democrats AND TWO of his Republican challengers for remarks King made Wednesday morning about his “heartbeat bill” that has no exceptions for rape and incest and would ban nearly all abortions.
King made his comments Wednesday morning at the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale. Last year King argued abortion opponents needed to “swing for the fences” since President Trump had secured a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. King introduced “The Heartbeat Protection Act” which would effectively ban abortions after about the sixth week of a pregnancy.
State Senator Randy Feenstra of Hull, one of the Republicans who’s challenging King’s bid for a 10th term, tweeted that he is “100 percent pro-life” but Feenstra said “King’s bizarre comments and behavior diminish” the pro-life cause. Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor, another G-O-P challenger, says King’s comments aren’t helpful.
Most of the Democratic presidential candidates have commented on King’s remarks about rape and incest, too. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker released a written statement calling on King to resign. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand tweeted the same message. Former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke castigated King and tweeted out a link for donations to J.D. Scholten. Scholten is the Democrat who’s running again in the fourth congressional district after coming within three percentage points of defeating King in 2018. Scholten issued a written statement, saying “excusing violence — in any way — is unacceptable” and he’s called King’s comments on rape and incest “disrespectful to survivors.”
Photo Courtesy Radio Iowa
