Tim Sheehy \u201cwould let politicians like him ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape or to save a woman\u2019s life, and criminalize women.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Facebook ad from the campaign of Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), launched on Sept. 6, 2024<\/p>\n
In a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is attacking his challenger, Republican Tim Sheehy, for his stance on abortion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Montana\u2019s Senate race is one of a half-dozen tight contests around the country in which Democrats are defending seats needed to keep their one-seat majority. If Republicans flip Tester\u2019s seat, they could take over the chamber even if they fail to oust Democrats in any other key races.<\/p>\n
In a\u00a0series of Facebook ads<\/a>\u00a0launched in early September, Tester\u2019s campaign said Sheehy supports banning abortion with no exceptions.<\/p>\n An ad launched on Sept. 6 said, \u201cTim Sheehy wants to take away the freedom to choose what happens with your own body, and give that power to politicians. Sheehy would let politicians like him ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape or to save a woman\u2019s life, and criminalize women. We can\u2019t let Tim Sheehy take our freedom away.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheehy\u2019s Anti-Abortion Stance Allows for Rape, Health Exceptions<\/strong><\/p>\n Sheehy\u2019s website calls him \u201cproudly pro-life,\u201d and he\u2019s campaigning against abortion. He\u00a0opposes\u00a0a measure<\/a> on Montana\u2019s November ballot that would\u00a0amend\u00a0the Montana Constitution<\/a> to provide the right to \u201cmake and carry out decisions about one\u2019s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion.\u201d<\/p>\n In July, we rated\u00a0False<\/a>\u00a0Sheehy\u2019s statement that Tester and other Democrats have voted for \u201celective abortions up to and including the moment of birth. Healthy, 9-month-year-old baby killed at the moment of birth.\u201d<\/p>\n But contrary to the new ad\u2019s message, Sheehy has voiced support for exceptions.<\/p>\n In a Montana Public Radio\u00a0interview\u00a0in May<\/a>, Sheehy was asked, \u201cYes or no, do you support a federal ban on abortion?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Sheehy said, \u201cI am proudly pro-life and support commonsense protections for when a baby can feel pain, as well as exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, and I believe any further limits must be left to each state.\u201d<\/p>\n And in a June\u00a0debate<\/a>\u00a0with Tester, Sheehy said, \u201cI\u2019ll always protect the three rights for women: rape, incest, life of the mother.\u201d<\/p>\n The\u00a0issues section<\/a>\u00a0of Sheehy\u2019s campaign website does not say that he has a no-exceptions stance, nor does it say he would \u201ccriminalize women\u201d who have abortions.<\/p>\n In a statement, the Sheehy campaign told PolitiFact that the ad mischaracterizes Sheehy\u2019s abortion position. Allowing no exceptions \u201chas never been Tim\u2019s position,\u201d the campaign said.<\/p>\n Our Ruling<\/strong><\/p>\n The Tester campaign\u2019s ad says Sheehy \u201cwould let politicians like him ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape or to save a woman\u2019s life, and criminalize women.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Sheehy has said he supports abortion ban exceptions for rape or to save a pregnant woman\u2019s life. We found no instances of him saying he would be OK with states criminalizing women who receive abortions in violation of state laws.<\/p>\n What gives the ad a kernel of truth is that Sheehy has voiced support for letting states decide abortion parameters within their borders. The Tester campaign argues that this means Sheehy would effectively enable legislators to pass abortion restrictions that don\u2019t include exceptions or that criminalize women.<\/p>\n The Tester campaign\u2019s argument relies on hypotheticals and ignores Sheehy\u2019s stated support for exceptions, giving a misleading impression of Sheehy\u2019s position.<\/p>\n We rate it Mostly False.<\/p>\n Jon Tester,\u00a0Facebook ad<\/a>, Sept. 6, 2024<\/p>\n Tim Sheehy,\u00a0campaign issues page<\/a>, accessed Sept. 12, 2024<\/p>\n KFF, \u201cPolicy Tracker: Exceptions to State Abortion Bans and Early Gestational Limits<\/a>,\u201d last updated July 29, 2024<\/p>\n Montana Public Radio, \u201cQ&A: Tim Sheehy, Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate<\/a>,\u201d May 15, 2024\u00a0<\/p>\n Montana Senate debate<\/a>\u00a0(excerpt), June 9, 2024<\/p>\n Last Best Place PAC,\u00a0\u201cchoice\u201d web page<\/a>, accessed Sept. 12, 2024<\/p>\n Montana Republican Party, 2024\u00a0platform<\/a>, accessed Sept. 12. 2024<\/p>\n Daily Montanan, \u201cSheehy criticizes ballot measures, including initiative to protect abortion<\/a>,\u201d Aug. 22, 2024<\/p>\n Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball, \u201cWhere Abortion Rights Will (or Could) Be on the Ballot<\/a>,\u201d July 9, 2024<\/p>\n Heartland Signal, \u201cUnearthed audio shows Tim Sheehy calling abortion \u2018sinful,\u2019 wanting it to \u2018end tomorrow<\/a>,\u2019\u201d Aug. 30, 2024<\/p>\n Montana Independent, \u201cJon Tester accuses Tim Sheehy of lying about abortion during first Senate campaign debate<\/a>,\u201d June 11, 2024<\/p>\n Statement to PolitiFact from the Sheehy campaign<\/p>\n Statement to PolitiFact from the Tester campaign<\/p>\n KFF Health News<\/a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF\u2014an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF<\/a>.<\/p>\nOur Sources<\/h4>\n
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