During a town hall event yesterday in Salem, New Hampshire, Ohio Gov. John Kasich took a question from an attendee about Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that created a constitutional right to abortion.
Kasich’s answer, which appeared to affirm the court ruling, will likely complicate his bid to woo pro-life voters who are already skeptical of his anti-abortion bona fides.
Kasich was asked whether he “respect[s] the Roe vs. Wade decision” by a man who said he’s looking for a candidate who’s “not a threat to a woman’s right to control her own body.”
The two-term Republican governor, who told CNN on Sunday that Republicans “focus too much” on abortion, quickly responded before turning to other questions.
“Obviously it’s the law of the land now,” Kasich said, “and we live with the law of the land.”
QUESTION: Governor, you have a record of respecting the law whether you like it or not. I would like to ask whether you can respect the Roe vs. Wade decision, and I ask because as a life-long libertarian, I’m looking for a candidate to support who is both a fiscal conservative and not a threat to a woman’s right to control her own body.
KASICH: Obviously it’s the law of the land now and we live with the law of the land.
