An explosive video from the 2018 campaign trail shows Republican State Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks telling voters that she is “pro-choice” and believes those decisions are “best left to providers, to doctors and to patients.”
Miller-Meeks is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Congress in Iowa’s Second District.
“I am pro-choice, but it’s a very sensitive issue,” Miller-Meeks said.
Miller-Meeks continued in her answer and said:
“Ultimately as a doctor and a healthcare provider, I think these are decisions that are best left to providers, to doctors and to patients. I don’t want the government in my healthcare decisions.”
Miller-Meeks was answering a question about rescinding the fetal heartbeat law passed in the previous legislative session.
Former congressman Bobby Schilling has been dogging Miller-Meeks on her abortion record throughout the campaign. In 2008, Miller-Meeks was called a “great pretender” by Iowa Right to Life. That video can be seen here.
Miller-Meeks is being supported by the GOP establishment in Iowa, having been endorsed by Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Joni Ernst. Miller-Meeks has run for the seat and lost three times already.
Schilling has earned endorsements from Congressman Jim Jordan and former Sen. Rick Santorum.
In an article published by the Iowa City Press Citizen, Miller-Meeks’ campaign claims she “misspoke.”
Her campaign spokesman, Eric Woolson, said:
“Senator Miller-Meeks was speaking to the point that she is a pro-life Catholic when it came to her mind that some notable Catholic elected leaders are pro-choice. That prompted her to misspeak. As a physician, she was emphasizing her belief that, regardless of the medical condition being discussed, doctor-patient conversations need to be private and free of government intervention. All doctor-patient dialogue is, and should remain, private.”
Schilling responded on Twitter, saying “How the heck do you miss speak for over two minutes? Pants on (fire).”
