(NewsNation) — During their only debate before the November election, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and his Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke addressed their opposing views on abortion.
Some health care advocates say emergency contraception, such as Plan B, is often unavailable, or it’s too costly for some women to afford.
NewsNation asked “Is emergency contraception a viable alternative to abortion for victims of rape or incest?” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded that his state “pays for survivors of sexual assault.”
“Not only should it be readily available,” Abbott said, “but the state of Texas is going to pay for it.”
When asked for clarification if Plan B, specifically, is an acceptable alternative when it comes to someone who is pregnant from rape or incest, Abbott didn’t directly answer the question, but pointed out that Texas, “through our alternatives to abortion program, provides living assistance and baby supplies.”
O’Rourke, like many other Democrats, has put abortion rights at the forefront of his campaign after the Supreme Court’s decision last month to overturn landmark abortion law Roe v. Wade — a move that polls show was widely unpopular.
“I will fight to make sure that every woman in Texas can make her own decisions about her own body, her own future, and her own health care,” O’Rourke said Friday night, when asked if he supports any limit on when a woman can have an abortion. “I will work with the legislature and my fellow Texans to return us to the standard that Texas women want in the first place: Roe vs. Wade.”