Fox News host Chris Wallace on Sunday grilled Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) about his promise to end rape in the state instead of giving abortion rights to victims of rape and incest.
Abbott recently made the promise to end rape after his state passed a law to ban all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
"In 2019, which is the last year that we have numbers for, almost 15,000 cases of rape were reported in your state of Texas," Wallace told Abbott. "And almost everyone says that's a severe undercount. There are a lot more cases that just aren't reported."
"Is it reasonable to say to somebody who is the victim of rape and might not understand that they are pregnant until six weeks, 'Well, don't worry about it because we're going to eliminate rape as a problem in the state of Texas,'" the Fox News host asked.
"Survivors of sexual assault, they deserve support," Abbott replied, skirting the question. "Texas is stepping up to make sure we provide that by signing a law and creating in the governor's office a sexual assault survivors task force."
"Governor, excuse me," Wallace interrupted. "There were more than 15,000 rapes in 2019 when you were governor."
The Fox News host went on to ask Abbott if he would sign a law allowing abortion in cases of rape.
"Will you sign it or not?" Wallace wondered.
"We've got to go back to the reason the law was passed in the first place," Abbott said of abortion. "The goal is to protect the lives of every child with a heartbeat."
"Including the child of a rape?" Wallace said.
"This goal is consistent with what the United States Supreme Court has written and that is states have the ability to make sure that we protect the health safety of both the mother and the child," Abbott insisted. "Texas just provided millions of dollars in funding for pregnancy centers across the state to help those who want to make sure they will be able to carry the child."
"Are you saying, sir, I don't mean to interrupt, but are you saying that you will not sign an exception for rape and incest?" Wallace pressed.
"You're making a hypothetical that's not going to happen because that bill is not going to reach my desk," Abbott replied.
