Washington governor's debate: Ferguson, Reichert on reproductive health care, abortion rights

Reproductive health here in Washington State after the Supreme Court struck down Roe V. Wade. A study from UV medicine showed a 50% increase in out of state patients seeking abortions and an average one week delay for all patients seeking services which can negatively impact a pregnant person's health. What will you do as governor to respond to the increased demand for services, Mr Reichert? Well, first of all, I wanna, I wanna make it clear that uh, when I'm governor, uh I will support and protect the abortion laws that currently exist in Washington State. This is a question that's been asked and answered since 1970. That's when the first law was implemented uh as a patrol officer in federal way. My job back in the mid 19 seventies was to keep an abortion clinic open. Um When protesters tried to close the sidewalks and the driveways, I will do the same uh, as governor, I will protect those laws and um, and work with uh, our members of the House and the state legislature to senate let, uh, senate to uh protect uh access to abortions. The question was, what will you do as governor to respond to the increased demand for services and the one week delay that women are now experiencing because of the influx of out of state patients. Uh Will you answer this question, Mr Ferguson? Yes. Uh Y yes, of course. So yes. So of course, we'll be making sure we make investments as a state to make sure that all women whether coming from out of state or within state are able to access the full range of reproductive freedom, which again is a critical, critical difference. In this case. When the Seattle Times editorial board and me, by the way, an editorial board that endorsed Dino Rossi Republican over Chris Gregoire, Rob mckenna over Jans Le. They pointed out Dave that you said the same thing to them. What you said here, I'll never interfere with reproductive freedom. But they pointed out in their editorial that what you said again on audio to an extreme pro life group that seeks to ban abortion nationwide, that you would, in your own words once again, seek to unravel abortion protections in Washington State and that's consistent with your history. You went back to Congress and you voted three times for a nationwide abortion ban that criminalizes doctors. Look, you do not support a woman's right to choose. You say one thing when you're speaking to Washington people in a form like this and you say something else entirely when you think you are behind closed doors, that's been a pattern with you on Donald Trump. That's a pattern with you on reproductive freedom. And that is something that the Washingtonian Washington voters will need to hear over and over throughout the rest of this campaign. I wanted to follow up on something that you said Mr Ferguson. And then I will let you rebut Mr Reichert in your political ad. You did characterize your opponent's votes in Congress as a straight out ban. Not mentioning that there would have been exceptions after 20 weeks such as saving the life of the mother or cases of rape or incest. That was not in your ad, was that ad was misleading? Did it lack context? Certainly not misleading. In fact, a Spokane TV station reviewed it and said no such thing. It's a 32nd ad. So I'll let Dave tried to defend his vote. What's factual about those three votes he took in Congress for nationwide abortion bans that criminalize doctors is the following. He would have made certain abortions that are legal in Washington State illegal while precisely at the same time criminalizing doctors. That is no, not OK. And that is entirely consistent with what he says behind closed doors over and over again. You've said Dave that you believe life begins at conception. I'm sorry, there's too much at stake to your question in a post ops world to risk reproductive freedom for the women of Washington State with an individual who voted to criminalize doctors who from abortions that are legal in Washington State. Mr A Can, can we talk about your record in Congress just for a moment? Um You did while in Congress support three bills banning abortion past 20 weeks, past 20 weeks, the last bill allowed abortions after 20 weeks to save the life of the mother and in cases of rape or incest, it also required a second doctor be present to save the unborn child. Can you please for us explain your voting record how it squares with what you said yourself in a recent campaign ad that you quote, do not believe any politician, regardless of personal belief has the right to make that decision for any woman. So, uh again, Mr Ferguson is not being honest with the people here in Washington State, those three votes um were based upon viability, uh legal terminology viability at 20 weeks. So I actually voted three times for abortions, access to abortions uh at viability. It's almost the same law that exists here in Washington State which is 24 weeks. So Bob is saying that I voted to ban abortions at viability. Bob uh believes that Washington State's law uh then is not, it is a ban. If he doesn't believe in Washington State laws, then he also believes in a ban. So I did not vote to ban abortions nationally. And um thank you, you're out of time. OK.