Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan is one of a handful of Democrats in the House who has voted to restrict a woman's right to choose in the past. But in an op-ed penned yesterday, he makes it official that
his position on abortion has changed.
I have sat with women from Ohio and across the nation and heard them talk about their varying experiences: abusive relationships, financial hardship, health scares, rape and incest. There are endless stories about women in troubling situations — the woman who became pregnant and has a violent spouse; the woman who lost her job and is unable to afford another child; or the underage girl worried she’ll be thrown out of her house if she reveals her pregnancy. [...]
These women gave me a better understanding of how complex and difficult certain situations can become. And while there are people of good conscience on both sides of this argument, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: the heavy hand of government must not make this decision for women and families.
Ryan tributes his previous pro-life stance to his Catholic upbringing, but says that after years in office and talking—and listening—to the stories of various women, "There are too many scenarios, too many variables and too much complexity for pregnancy to be anything but a personal decision."
This is quite a transformation for the congressman.
Ryan [...] has voted for numerous abortion restrictions since he was elected to Congress in 2003, including parental notification laws; restrictions on abortion funding in health care reform; and a ban on abortions in federally funded military hospitals. In 2009, he wrote an op-ed for U.S. News and World Report underscoring the need for fellow anti-abortion lawmakers to work with abortion rights supporters on solutions to prevent unplanned pregnancies.
Some are speculating that this move prefaces a possible
run for higher office.
Ohio Right to Life President Michael Gonidakis said Ryan's switch "clearly demonstrates his opportunistic and self centered approach in seeking higher office," and said he views the "flip-flop" as a sign that Ryan plans to run against pro-life Sen. Rob Portman in 2016.
Read Tim Ryan's full op-ed
here.