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I would support a 100 percent ban,

HD21 Republican John Stirrup Caught On Tape Stating Support for Total Abortion Ban in Virginia

Two days after Ohio voters turned out in record numbers to reject MAGA Republicans' attempts to block abortion rights, an audio recording of Virginia swing district Republican candidate John Stirrup confirmed his true intentions for Virginians: he wants to ban abortion completely in the Commonwealth. 

Han Jones, Interim-Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said: “We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - abortion is on the ballot. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia proudly endorsed Josh Thomas because we know he will fight against any attempt to ban abortion and will represent the people of HD 21 well. We simply cannot afford to let John Stirrup be the vote that delivers an abortion ban to Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign” 

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Laura Vozella of The Washington Post broke the story with not one but two instances of Stirrup confirming his desire to deliver an abortion ban to Governor Youngkin’s desk for him to sign:

“I would support a 100 percent ban,” Stirrup told a woman who had approached him after a Republican primary debate May 18, according to a recording obtained by The Washington Post. In another recording, made June 20, he told a man he met outside a polling place that “I’d like to see, you know, [a] total ban.” 

 

In response, Virginia HD21 Democratic Candidate Josh Thomas tweeted:

 

 

 

Blue Virginia also covered the recordings:

Full Transcript of May 18, 2023 audio: 

R (04:42): What about like, obviously, like, It upsets me like being a woman I see like the amount of like babies that are being like killed every day, all around the world and here in Virginia, like, I want to know like, what if we make it to like the majority in the general assembly like what, what will you be committing to doing like, are you planning on committing to do like abortion ban in Virginia? Or what’re, what's your plans?

JOHN STIRRUP (05:09): Yeah, I would, I would support 100% ban.

R (05:11): Yeah.

JOHN STIRRUP (05:12): It seems like the kind of acceptable, it's been, you know, position has been about 15 weeks, but that really doesn't save that many lives. It's a start, you know, and I know the left gets really, you know, animated about this, "Oh you're banning abortion." Abortion will always be legal in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Women will always have an opportunity. What really gets to me about about abortion is that there are so many parents that can't have children that are so willing to adopt.

R (05:45): Yeah, that's one of the reasons that I feel the most passionate. I haven't tried yet. But I'm still young. But I know that that's something that's really like, whenever I saw people doing it, I was like, I can't imagine if I ever had the opportunity that I'm pregnant, that I would just take the route and -

JOHN STIRRUP (05:59): Right.

R (05:59): - to abort. Like that's something that's very important to me. I've always, I've only been married for less than a year. So not having kids yet. But when I do I tell my husband that all the time. I'm like, I can't ever imagine letting the opportunity go to have kids, knowing that there's people out there who are suffering and they would gladly like -

JOHN STIRRUP (06:16): Gladly. Absolutely, absolutely. And I think it really has long term and devastating effects for women, so many women that have abortions because they seem, for whatever reason, they felt that they didn't have an option or whatever. But they're left with, you know, that that scar forever, you know, mentally. And it's just, you know, we've dehumanized life for 60 years in this country, and over 60 million children are getting eliminated. It's just crazy. Like, what point - how many do we have to do? You know it’s crazy. We have the craziest most liberal abortion laws in the world. I mean, like, same as North Korea and China, and it's just, you know, we're barbarian.

Unknown (07:03): [crosstalk] my car’s right here...

R (07:03): Well, I don't want to hold you up. It was nice talking to you.

JOHN STIRRUP (07:06): Very good talking to you.

Full transcript of June 20, 2023 audio: 

J (00:00): Because, I'm like, I'm a confirmed Catholic, abortions an issue.

JOHN STIRRUP (00:03): Me too.

J (00:05): Oh yes, are you Catholic?

JOHN STIRRUP (00:05): Absolutely. Merle? too.

J (00:06): Oh, hi Merle, nice to meet you, I'm Joe. Hey um so yeah, you know, where are you on abortion?

JOHN STIRRUP (00:12): I'm a hundred percent pro life. I mean, I-A lady asked me this morning she said um I know her son who's very conservative and she's very liberal well where is Youngkin on on abortion reproductive rights which is always code and I and I said you mean abortion? And she goes, well, I guess, and I was like, well, I think 65 million abortions is probably enough for United States, you know since we've basically exceeded the population of some European countries you know so I think I think we can do better Oh so.

J (00:44): Okay, so like, you're, you're with like the Governor endorsed you, you're with like 15 week ban?

JOHN STIRRUP (00:48): You know, it's a place to start.

J (00:50): It’s a starting point.

JOHN STIRRUP (00:50): Yeah.

J (00:51): All right.

JOHN STIRRUP (00:51): Yeah.

Unknown (00:52): Yeah and you know we can

J (00:53): We've seen states do more so.

JOHN STIRRUP (00:55): Absolutely, absolutely. But, you know, I mean I agree I I'd like to see you know you know total ban but.

J (01:02): Okay.

JOHN STIRRUP (01:03): We gotta, you know, start somewhere.

J (01:05): We gotta start somewhere.

JOHN STIRRUP (01:06): And the Ds will never give it to us right now

J (01:08): That's true. All right, well, that's really helpful, sir, I appreciate your time.

John Stirrup (01:12): You bet. Thank you for your time

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