Grand Canyon Times

In September, Blake Masters, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona, accused his opponent incumbent Mark Kelly of believing in no limits for abortion, claiming Kelly sponsored a bill (the Women's Health Protection Act) that allows abortion “up until birth.”

Fox News reports Kelly supports Roe v. Wade but will not clarify the abortion restrictions he believes in. Kelly denied Masters’ claims that the Women's Health Protection Act allows abortion up to birth.

“Mark Kelly literally sponsored a bill to mandate abortion on demand nationwide 'up until birth,'" Masters tweeted. "Don’t let him fool you: He votes like an extremist, he will not clarify what restrictions he has in mind, because he believes in no limits at all.”

According to Fox News, Kelly will not clarify his stance on abortion limits. The pro-life group  Susan B. Anthony List claims Democrat candidates “continue to dodge the question of whether there are any limits on abortion they support.”

In the most recent debate between Masters and Kelly, Kelly did give a clear answer to when he believes abortion should be illegal. Kelly has expressed his support for the “protections and restrictions” under Roe v. Wade but did not explicitly state his beliefs.

Fox News reports Kelly said, “Under Roe v. Wade, there were protections and there were  restrictions that were allowed under that law.” He added, “And late-term abortion in this country only happens when there is a serious problem. And that’s what I support.”

A spokesperson from Kelly’s campaign told Fox News that Kelly supports codifying Roe into law. In response to questions if Kelly would support abortion in the six, seven or eight-month points of pregnancy, Kelly said, “I have supported Roe v. Wade” adding, “This decision should be up to the woman, with her doctor. Shouldn’t be politicians, like the guy to my left, in Washington, D.C.,  making these decisions for you. I mean, he thinks he knows better than you. He thinks he knows better than doctors and women on abortion. I mean, folks, I think that is a really bad place for us to be in when my opponent Blake Masters is making these decisions for women,” Fox News reported.

Masters’ tweet and late-term abortion questions directed toward Kelly came from a radio interview Kelly did with KTAR News, according to Fox. 

Fox Digital received a comment from Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the SBA Pro-Life Group: “Sen. Mark Kelly and Democrat candidates around the country continue to dodge the question of whether there are any limits on abortion they support. The fact is, Kelly and almost every  Democrat in Congress backs federal legislation that would impose abortion on demand until birth in all 50 states, which is deeply unpopular with the majority of Americans. Blake Masters called Kelly out in Thursday’s debate, boldly and without apology, in contrast to his own support for commonsense limits on late-term abortion when unborn children can feel pain. It is critical that pro-life Republicans everywhere do likewise, going on offense to expose their opponents as the true extremists.”

Masters’ tweet claims Kelly sponsored a bill that would protect abortion up until the moment of birth. Masters is referring to the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022, supported by Kelly, that “prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services.” The  Senate did not pass the bill. According to Fox News, Kelly denied Masters’ claim on this bill calling his words “nonsense.” Fox News reports Democrats spent approximately $124 million, twice as much as the 2018 midterms, on the abortion issue.