SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Kathy Salvi, continue to voice their extreme differences Sunday, especially on issues of abortion as they compete in the United States Senate race in Illinois.
The U.S. Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade on June 24, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion no longer exists.
During an in-studio visit at KSDK 5 On Your Side last Monday, Duckworth, 54, said this decision was not just about abortion.
“It was also about access to contraception and in vitro fertilization, which is something that I used to have with my two beautiful baby girls,” Duckworth said during her visit.
While speaking at Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair and at the GOP Breakfast in Springfield last Monday, Salvi painted Duckworth as being extremely in favor of abortion.
Salvi said Duckworth would not put limits on abortion at all.
Duckworth said Salvi is too extreme in her opposition to abortion and that Salvi was actually wrong about her position. Duckworth said she would be fine with some of the restrictions allowed under Roe v. Wade.
“I think we've lived with Roe v. Wade for a long time now and it's established law and I think that we can work with that,” Duckworth said.
Duckworth said Salvi opposes abortion even in cases of rape, incest, and if the mother’s life is threatened.
When asked about her stance on these cases, Salvi said she would not get into hypotheticals.
“I don’t know [about] the 6,000 rape cases a year…if those folks would consider rape to be hypotheticals,” Duckworth said.
Duckworth, a veteran known for surviving the Iraq War, has become a vocal advocate for her fellow Wounded Warriors, according to her campaign site. As a result of her injuries, she earned a Purple Heart.
As Senator, she has been focused on helping working families get ahead through promoting civil rights and equal rights for all Illinoisans, and supporting our Veterans and military families, according to her site.
Salvi, a suburban Chicago personal injury lawyer, said she will fight to lower costs and energy prices, support law enforcement, and ensure parents have control over their child’s education, according to her campaign site.
They will go head-to-head in November's general election.
