Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno referred to Ohio women as “a little crazy” for wanting the right to make their own health care decisions, according to remarks captured at a weekend campaign event. The comments were first reported by WCMH.
In a video from the event, Moreno questioned the priorities of suburban women, particularly those who support abortion rights.
“A lot of suburban women that are like, ‘listen, abortion is it. If I can’t have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else.’ Ok, a little crazy, by the way,” Moreno said. He went on to suggest that the issue should not concern women over 50, adding, “I’m thinking to myself, I don’t think that’s an issue for you.”
Moreno, who has previously stated he is “100% pro-life with no exceptions,” has supported a national abortion ban. His stance is at odds with the nearly 57% of Ohio voters who backed a constitutional amendment last year to protect abortion rights in the state.
Katie Paris, the founder of Red Wine and Blue, criticized Moreno’s remarks, saying, “What Bernie Moreno said shows that he doesn’t respect the 57% of Ohioans who voted to protect our reproductive freedom last year… Bernie Moreno just called hundreds of thousands of Ohioans crazy.”
The comments have sparked further debate in Ohio’s Senate race, with Moreno’s Democratic opponent, Sen. Sherrod Brown, positioning himself as a strong advocate for women’s reproductive rights.
The full video of Moreno’s remarks was obtained by WCMH and is available for viewing on their website.
