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Lt. Gov. John FettermanWikimedia Commons

(LifeSiteNews) – Pennsylvania Democrats’ nominee for U.S. Senate John Fetterman has confirmed on multiple occasions that he would not support restricting abortion even in the third trimester, drawing a stark contrast between himself and his Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz.

On Monday, the Republican National Committee highlighted a trio of video clips of Fetterman answering in the negative when asked if he would support “any restrictions on abortion,” including when an interviewer followed up to clarify “even in the third trimester.” The candidate justified his stance simply with platitudes about believing that “choice is between a woman, her doctor, and a god if she prays to one.”

On his campaign site, Fetterman added that if elected he would codify a “right” to abortion in federal law by voting for the so-called Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), and would vote to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which prevents most federal funds from subsidizing elective abortions.

The WHPA, which Democrats have unsuccessfully pushed for years, establishes a federal statutory right to perform and obtain abortions, including after fetal viability (under the broad cover of “health”), and specifically forbids states from subjecting abortion to ultrasound requirements (even though these are standard to discern fetal age), mandatory waiting periods, informed consent requirements, and other health and safety regulations, such as admitting privileges.

It also protects so-called “webcam” abortions (i.e., dispensing abortion pills without an in-person doctor’s visit), forbids banning abortions on the basis of a baby’s race, sex, or disability, and forbids banning particular techniques such as dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures, better known as “dismemberment” abortions because they entail literally ripping unborn babies apart in the womb, then removing them from the uterus limb by limb.

President Joe Biden recently declared that if next month’s congressional midterms yield a Democrat majority, “the first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v. Wade.”

The answers highlight the deep differences between Fetterman and Oz, who won the GOP nomination thanks in large part due to the support of former President Donald Trump, despite the celebrity doctor’s past left-wing statements on abortion and “transitioning’’ minors. Oz now says he is “100% pro-life,” and has spoken passionately about his experience performing heart surgery on a newborn child.

Whatever the sincerity of either candidates’ positions, it is widely recognized that political interests alone make them all-but certain to vote very differently on a host of issues, including abortion restrictions, codification, and taxpayer funding.

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