Josh Harder, the Democrat challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Jeff Denham in California's 10th District, appeared to express support for abortion during all nine months of a pregnancy last year, according to newly surfaced footage.
The video, taken during a meeting of the Our Revolution chapter in Turlock, California, in July 2017, shows Harder discussing the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal funds from paying for abortion, the Washington Examiner reported Monday.
"If I'm in Congress, I will absolutely sponsor legislation to overturn that," Harder says. "And the reason for that is, I'm 100 percent pro-choice. And the reason for that is that I think that women should be, and are, the best judges for what they can actually have with their bodies."
"So pro-choice, full nine terms?" an audience member asks.
"Yes," Harder responds.
"No exceptions?" the audience member asks.
"No exceptions," Harder says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDfGpFGSh1M
The video was uploaded to YouTube in September 2017, but Our Revolution Turlock broadcast the entire event live on Facebook, the Examiner noted.
On his campaign website, Harder, a 32-year-old venture capitalist, says he will "advocate for a woman's right to choose as well as access to affordable and quality reproductive services."
Harder's apparent view on abortion is outside the mainstream of America public opinion, according to recent polling.
Eighteen percent of Americans believe that abortion should be "illegal in all circumstances," and an additional 35 percent believe that it should be legal only "in a few circumstances," according to a recent Gallup poll.
A majority of respondents also said that abortion should be illegal after the first three months of pregnancy, with 65 percent saying it should be illegal in the second trimester and 81 percent saying it should be illegal in the third trimester.
Former President Barack Obama endorsed Harder last month. The Cook Political Report labels the race in California's 10th District as a toss-up.