Rep. Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.) told a pro-choice rally in Washington Tuesday that while he and his wife were the proud parents of two children, having them in the end was "her choice."
Swalwell spoke near the Capitol in response to recent pro-life laws passed in states like Alabama and Georgia, which have attracted court challenges and national attention from progressives fearing Roe v. Wade could be overturned.
"My wife Brittany also wants you to know we've got two beautiful children, Nelson and Cricket [nickname for Kathryn], but the decision to have children was her choice," Swalwell said to loud cheers, in a clip flagged by Grabien. "So, here is what we are going to do. We are going to walk with our brothers and sisters down in the south. We're going to march with them, we're going to link arms with them, and we're going to change those state houses on the way to change the White House in 2020."
Another white male presidential candidate, former representative Beto O'Rourke (D., Texas), apologized earlier this year after saying his wife Amy raised their three children "sometimes with my help."
Other candidates who spoke at the rally included Sens. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.), the latter of whom traveled to Atlanta last week to speak out against anti-abortion laws and said she would codify Roe v. Wade if elected president.
Swalwell is one of the 23 or 24 Democrats running for the 2020 nomination. A newly released Quinnipiac poll showed him registering less than 1 percent support.
In another overture to women, Swalwell has pledged to pick a woman as his running mate if he wins the nomination.
SPOILER ALERT: I'm a white man.
I know where I can't speak to someone else's experience and I pledge to:
1️⃣ Pass the mic
2️⃣ Ask a woman to serve as VP pic.twitter.com/yz7hUB3bRA— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) April 24, 2019