Rantz Fact Check: Did gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert really vote to ban abortion?

The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is hitting Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert in an attack ad on the one issue Democrats poll best on: abortion.

The ad is being run on behalf of Bob Ferguson, Reichert’s far-left opponent. It claims Reichert voted to ban abortion, including in cases of incest, rape or life of the mother. It features a Seattle woman who experienced sexual abuse as a child. As a result, she says she became pregnant and chose an abortion.

“In Congress, Dave Reichert voted to ban abortion nationwide. He voted against exceptions,” she claims, calling it “cruel.”

“If Reichert becomes governor, I believe women are in danger,” she concludes.

Is that actually true or is it another smear by a party spending millions to put Democrat Attorney General Bob Ferguson in the Governor’s mansion? Let’s give the claim a Jason Rantz fact check.

Jason Rantz Fact Check: Did Dave Reichert really say teachers are overpaid?

Why are Democrats claiming Dave Reichert supported an abortion ban?

The sources for the claims are the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and a CNN article.

The bill would not have, as the ad claims, outright banned abortions nationwide. It restricted abortions after 20 weeks. At this stage of development, the nervous system is sufficiently developed for the fetus to experience pain. The bill also included exceptions for cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. The Reichert votes that are flashed on screen during the ad were procedural moves by Democrats who were attempting to weaken the bill.

You don’t have to read the entire bill to know this. You can simply go to the CNN article the ad cites. The first sentence acknowledges the bill came with “exceptions for instances where the life of the mother is at risk and in cases involving rape or incest.” At the time, not even Planned Parenthood claimed it was without exceptions.

More from Jason Rantz: Boeing machinist who booed Sen. Cantwell says union is more pro-Trump than you realize

Rantz Fact Check: False

The law in question is almost identical to the one in Washington, which is also based on viability, though we consider it 24 weeks here. But there have been Democrat lawmakers and activists who want limitless abortion, including Squad member Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle). Ferguson implies his support as well, while attacking Reichert for believing a fetus represents a life.

This ad isn’t merely egregiously false; the DGA is lying. Ferguson’s similar attacks against Reichert are as dishonest. Though there’s no threat of abortion being banned in Washington, Democrats have run on it across the state. They see it as a way to deflect criticism of their soft-on-crime policies and permissive approach to homelessness, which have been top concerns for voters.

Consider the abortion ad fact-checked: it’s false.

Rantz Fact Check: Do illegal immigrants really pay more in taxes than wealthy American citizens?

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

Follow @https://twitter.com/jasonrantz