J.D. Vance and Mike Gibbons exchange blows over abortion as the Ohio Senate primary intensifies

 The Ohio GOP Senate primary continues to intensify as J.D. Vance’s campaign attacked Mike Gibbons as “squishy,” Fox News reported.

An article published by the Associated Press in 2017, when Mr. Gibbons last ran for the United States Senate, indicated that Gibbons might not be as staunchly pro-life as his campaign at the time indicated. The Associated Press reported that Gibbons said he “personally opposes abortion, but politically, he’s ‘not a woman’ so wouldn’t choose for them. He said he wasn’t ‘pro-choice,’ though, but ‘pro-people.’”

On Thursday, Vance raked Gibbons over the coals for his ostensible lack of commitment to the pro-life movement during a town hall event.

Vance said, “If you’re not willing to stand up for unborn babies in this country, then what else are you going to cut tail and run on when the going gets tough. If you’re not willing to stand on that issue, I think it indicates your character is weak, and you don’t have the fortitude to actually serve the interests of our voters.”

Noting that he was proud to be outspoken in support of the pro-life movement, Vance continued, “I’ve had the left attack me for a long time for having the courage of my convictions. And, you know what, when Mike Gibbons, they asked him whether he was pro-life, he said, no I wouldn’t call myself pro-life I think ultimately it should go to the woman’s choice.” 

Condemning Gibbons’ apparent noncommitment to the pro-life cause, Vance added that his unclear stance “is the language of pro-abortion.”

Responding on Twitter, Mike Gibbon’s spokeswoman Samantha Cotten said that Vance “is lying, and he knows it.”

She added that it was “sad that he has resorted to pushing fake news.”

Ms. Cotten told TheBlaze that “Mike Gibbons is 100% pro-life. This spin was debunked in the 2018 election cycle. This attack is a desperate attempt by JD Vance to deflect the narrative away from his sinking campaign and his past comments attacking President Trump.”

The Vance Campaign’s press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk, told TheBlaze that “Using pro-abortion language and being squishy on the issue tells conservatives who you really are. Trying to walk it back after you realize its political weakness makes you a coward. JD is proud to be 100% pro-life and will fight to end abortion in America.”

Recent polling indicates that Vance and Gibbons are within striking distance of each other.