A new video shows that former Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) said in 2020 that she wished her state had completely banned abortion. This is very different from how she has been talking about abortion problems in recent months, as she tries to win back her old seat in Congress in November.
“I wish we could have stopped all abortions in the state,” Herrell said at a virtual discussion for candidates that year put on by the Republican Party of Valencia County in her state. “I wish we had been able to make even that happen.” We tried, but we failed.
During the eight years she was in the New Mexico House of Representatives, from 2011 to 2019, she meant that.
A short time ago, someone in the group asked Herrell an odd question: would she plead guilty to being pro-life? If so, what proof could be used to convict her?
“I love the questions you guys came up with, but I would definitely plead guilty. My 100% pro-life voting record would be proof,” she said.
This is a video of the whole event that was first shared on Facebook by the Republican Party of Valencia County. Around 22:20, Herrell starts to say things in favor of ending all abortions in her state. These comments haven’t been talked about before.
For one term, Herrell had been the representative for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. Democrats Gabe Vasquez beat her in 2022, and now she’s running for the spot again. The race between them is likely to be one of the tightest in the country. Democrats are trying to take away the five-seat lead that Republicans have in the House.
It’s not a surprise that Herrell wants to stop all abortions in her state: She often talks about how against abortion she is on social media and praised the U.S. Supreme Court’s choice in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade. To change the meaning of “human being,” she also co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act in 2021. This bill wanted to include “all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.” This rule did not make an exception for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
But Herrell, like many others in her party, is now trying hard to hide the fact that she has been against abortion for a long time. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned almost two years ago, people who support abortion rights have taken their anger to the polls, helping Democrats win races at all levels and making Republicans play down long-held beliefs.
On her website and in her campaign papers, Herrell no longer talks about abortion at all. Her campaign has made it clear that she thinks decisions about abortion rights should be made by the states. This is a view that former President Donald Trump recently accepted.
Support for IVF has been a big part of her campaign, which goes against her support for the Life at Conception Act.
A spokesperson for Herrell’s campaign did not answer when asked if she still wished that New Mexico had banned all abortions.
A report called Cook Political Report says this congressional district is a “toss-up.”
