离选举日还有三天在弗吉尼亚关键的立法竞选中州长格伦·扬金(Glenn Youngkin)周日在美国广播公司(ABC)的“本周”(This Week)节目中表示，如果足够多的共和党人上任，制定一项为期15周的禁令，他相信该州可以在堕胎问题上“领导”，而不是“斗争”。
弗吉尼亚州是今年这个问题的战场，因为自最高法院推翻罗伊诉韦德案以来，弗吉尼亚州是最南部的一个州，没有广泛禁止或限制堕胎。
目前由民主党和共和党控制的州立法机构可能会决定堕胎权的命运。
“这是弗吉尼亚最有争议的话题之一，”扬金告诉《本周》节目主持人乔治·斯特凡诺普洛斯。
但是，他争辩说，他的立场——除了强奸、乱伦和挽救母亲的生命外，对15周之后的手术进行“限制”——可能是一种妥协。现行法律禁止26周后堕胎。
“我认为这是弗吉尼亚人围绕理性走到一起的一个地方。然后它让我们转移到真正重要的话题上，”扬金说，接着列举了对通货膨胀、教育和犯罪的担忧，同时吹捧他在任期间该州如何增加工人、增加教育和公共安全资金。
弗吉尼亚的堕胎权利倡导者和民主党人也大力宣传关于共和党主导的限制的可能性，如果该党像杨金预测的那样控制立法机构。
2023年9月26日，弗吉尼亚州州长格伦·扬金在华盛顿Marriott Marquis的华盛顿经济俱乐部午餐会上发表讲话。
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images，文件
9月，弗吉尼亚州民主党主席苏珊·斯韦克(Susan Swecker)声称，扬金和“正在控制大会的MAGA极端分子”将寻求“推翻我们的权利，然后继续夺取更多的权利。”
当Stephanopoulos在周日问及为什么弗吉尼亚州不应该保留其目前的26周法律时，Youngkin说，需要更多的限制，但他强调，他认为这是一致的行动。
“我认为这是在没有限制和合理限制之间的选择，我认为这是弗吉尼亚人围绕合理性走到一起的一个选择，”他说。
“这是一个我们可以走到一起，解决一个非常困难的问题的地方，”他说，“我认为我们可以在这里领导，而不是争斗。”
扬金在2021年赢得了州长职位，这被视为一种颠覆，此后他在全国范围内建立了越来越多的形象。当被斯特凡诺普洛斯问及他是否已经排除参加2024年总统竞选时，特别是鉴于共和党领跑者唐纳德·特朗普在大选民意调查中不受欢迎，扬金说他“继续非常关注弗吉尼亚州。”
这位州长被亿万富翁托马斯·佩特弗利(Thomas Petterfly)等一些知名捐助者视为共和党初选的潜在迟到者。
杨金说:“在这种情况下，甚至连我的名字都让人感到难以置信的羞愧。”
Virginia elections could allow 'reasonable' 15-week abortion ban with exceptions, Gov. Youngkin argues
With three days until Election Dayin Virginia's pivotal legislative races, Gov. Glenn Youngkin believes the state can "lead" on rather than "fight" about abortion if enough of his fellow Republicans take office to enact a 15-week ban with exceptions, he said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.
Virginia is a battleground on the issue this year as the southern-most state that hasn't widely banned or restricted abortion access since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.
Control of the state Legislature, currently divided between Democrats and Republicans, could decide the fate of abortion access.
"It's one of the most divisive topics across Virginia," Youngkin told "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.
But, he argued, his stance -- a "limit" on the procedure after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and saving the life of the mother -- could be a compromise. Current law bans abortions after 26 weeks.
"I think this is one where Virginians come together around reasonableness. And it then allows us to move onto really important topics," Youngkin said, going on to cite concerns about inflation, education and crime -- while touting how the state has added workers and increased education and public safety funding while he's been in office.
Abortion rights advocates and Democrats in Virginiahave also heavily campaignedon the possibility of Republican-led restrictions, should the party take control of the Legislature as Youngkin predicts.
In September, Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker contended that Youngkin and "the MAGA extremists who are running to control the General Assembly" would seek to "overturn our rights and then keep taking more."
When pressed on Sunday by Stephanopoulos about why Virginia shouldn't preserve its current 26-week law, Youngkin said more restrictions were needed but he stressed that he viewed that as the consensus move.
"I think this is a choice between no limits and reasonable limits, and I think this is one where Virginians come together around reasonableness," he said.
"This is a place we can come together and settle on a very difficult topic," he said, "and I think we can lead here as opposed to fight."
Youngkin won the governorship in what was seen as something of an upset in 2021 and he has since built an increasingly national profile. Asked by Stephanopoulos if he has ruled out joining the 2024 presidential race -- especially in light of GOP front-runner Donald Trump's unpopularity in general election polls -- Youngkin said he "continues to be very focused on Virginia."
The governor has been eyed by some prominent donors like billionaire Thomas Petterfly as a potential late entrant in the Republican primary race.
"To even have my name tossed around in this is incredibly humbling," Youngkin said.
