Power

Indiana Senate Candidate Believes God Impregnates Rape Victims

Terminating a pregnancy conceived in rape would be thwarting God's divine plan, according to Richard Mourdock.

Indiana senate candidate Richard Mourdock. Photo: Journal & Courier/AP via The Christian Science Monitor.

When Tea Party senate candidate Sharron Angle told voters in 2010 that rape victims who were impregnated as a result of sexual assault should “make lemonade” out of the situation, she was considered a radical voice among anti-choice politicians. This year, more candidates are being open about their views that abortion should never be allowed in cases of rape. Now, the only thing radical about it is declaring divine intervention when a pregnancy occurs.

Indiana senate candidate Richard Mourdock stated exactly that in his last debate, setting himself up as the most restrictive of the three candidates when it comes to allowing a woman the legal right to an abortion. Although all of last night’s candidates self-identify as “pro-life,” Mourdock was the sole politician to state that his opposition to abortion even applies in cases where the pregnancy is a result of sexual assault.

Via Talking Points Memo:

“You know, this is that issue for that every candidates for federal, or even state office, faces. And I, too, certainly stand for life,” said Mourdock, after both Democrat Joe Donnelly and Libertarian Andrew Horning had identified as pro-life, though Donnelly also stated his support for an exception in cases of rape. “I know there are some who disagree, and I respect their point of view. But I believe that life begins at conception. The only exception I have, to have an abortion, is in that case of the life of the mother.”

Mourdock then seemed to choke back tears, and continued: “I’ve struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize that life is that gift from god. And even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.

Mourdock’s statement has been  Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has stated that he disagrees with Mourdock, although he did not clarify whether he withdrew his previous endorsement of the senate candidate. Meanwhile, Mourdock has rejected the characterization of his remarks as saying sexual assaults are part of the divine plan of God. “Are you trying to suggest somehow that God preordained rape, no I don’t think that,” Mourdock said, according to Huffington Post. “Anyone who would suggest that is just sick and twisted. No, that’s not even close to what I said.”