“I think if it was my daughter — I don’t have any daughters, but if I had a daughter — and that would have been, you know, if it would have been a rape ... I would say, ‘No, we’re going to have the baby.’”

AUSTIN, Texas — Last week, John Lujan, the MAGA Republican incumbent in one of Texas’ most competitive state house districts, HD-118, signaled support for the state's abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest. Despite not having daughters, Lujan gave a glimpse into the extent of his anti-women stance on assault and reproductive healthcare, even within his own family.

San Antonio Express-News: Thank goodness State Rep. John Lujan only has a hypothetical daughter

By Elaine Ayala

• Thank goodness Texas State Rep. John Lujan only has a “hypothetical” daughter.

• “As a Christian man, I’m very pro-life,” he said on David Martin Davies’ “The Source.”

• “But, man, I struggled with the rape and incest because, you know, I think if it was my daughter — I don’t have any daughters, but if I had a daughter — and that would have been, you know, if it would have been a rape ... I would say, ‘No, we’re going to have the baby.’ ”

• Soon after those comments, and the realization of their weight, Lujan’s office tried to reverse course. 

• A spokesman said Lujan was speaking only of his personal beliefs and wasn’t endorsing a position he’d take.

• That’s a cop-out. He’s an incumbent at a candidate forum, a place where voters are listening and deciding how to vote.

• His spokesman offered a convenient reinvention to assuage voters who got to hear how extreme he really is. 

• His campaign also said Lujan supports exceptions for rape, incest or danger to the life of the patient. Yet it’s clear he supports the state abortion ban, which doesn’t provide exceptions for rape or incest.

• Thank goodness Carranza is the Democratic candidate for District 118.

• She’ll collaborate with other sane lawmakers to reclaim the reproductive rights of Texas women and girls, especially those whose lives are threatened by medical emergencies related to pregnancy and are still encountering push back from hospitals, clinics and physicians.

• According to a study conducted by Planned Parenthood of Montana and published by JAMA Internal Medicine, in Texas, 26,000 people became pregnant as a result of a rape during an 18-month period ending in January. 

• Far right organizations who believe all pregnancies should be carried to term endorse Lujan. He also kowtows to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on another critical issue: school vouchers that threaten the success of public schools. 

• These aren’t the values of San Antonians. These aren’t the values of the hard-working people of the South Side.

• “Texas women are dying, fleeing the state and being forced to carry rape and incest-related pregnancies because of extreme politicians like John Lujan,” Carranza said. “I come from a family of strong women, and if I’ve learned anything while block walking all over House District 118, it’s that John Lujan should never underestimate the power of Texas women.”

• Those who support reproductive rights appreciate what Fulton County Superior Judge Robert McBurney had to say Monday in his ruling striking down Georgia’s six-week abortion ban, similar to that of Texas.

• “Women are not some piece of collectively owned community property the disposition of which is decided by majority vote,” he said.

• You don’t hear such dismissals as much anymore, and that’s because the far right is pushing us toward an anti-women, anti-girl, anti-democratic state.

• We have to stop it, and one of the many ways to do that is to remove John Lujan from the Texas House. 

• Send Kristian Carranza instead.

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