Stitt says he's the 'most pro-life governor.' Where do his opponents stand on abortion?

Before Gov. Kevin Stitt was elected, he vowed to sign all anti-abortion bills that made it to his desk, a promise he says he's proud to have kept during his four years in office.

Stitt celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, and a "trigger" law he signed allowed Oklahoma to then ban abortions except those necessary to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.

Although Stitt's opponents in the Nov. 8 governor's race differ on reproductive rights, they all oppose the abortion bans the governor approved that largely ended the procedure in Oklahoma.

The debate over abortion rights is galvanizing voters across the country ahead of the midterm elections, but it's unclear how the fall of Roe may alter turnout in deeply conservative states like Oklahoma.

In addition to bills criminalizing abortion, Stitt also signed legislation that allows private citizens to sue anyone who "aids or abets" a woman seeking an abortion at any point in her pregnancy. The woman pursuing the procedure could not be sued. Another new law Stitt signed makes it a felony to perform an abortion, a crime now punishable by 10 years in prison or up to $100,000 in fines.

More:Five key policy differences between Hofmeister and Stitt in Oklahoma governor's election

“I’m proud to be called America’s most pro-life governor, and today we’re here to celebrate a lot of hard work," Stitt said in a June news conference mere hours after the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision.

"It is my hope that the rest of America will follow Oklahoma’s lead," Stitt added. The National Right to Life endorsed Stitt's reelection bid.

Stitt says the state needs to take greater steps to support expecting mothers experiencing crisis pregnancies, and he created a task force to explore what can be done to help. He endorsed a proposal to expand Medicaid benefits for pregnant women, an idea Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister says she has long supported.

A recent SoonerPoll indicated "protecting a woman's right to choose" is the second-most important issue to voters this fall following high grocery and gasoline costs. A late September poll from Oklahoma City's Amber Integrated showed when voters are casting ballots in the governor's race, they will be thinking about the economy and inflation, education issues and then abortion.

Related:Confronted by a rape survivor, Stitt says Oklahoma can amend abortion ban if it went too far

Hofmeister vows to repeal Oklahoma's abortion ban

Hofmeister, Oklahoma's state schools superintendent, said she would push to repeal the state's abortion ban.

She also has said the state's Texas-style abortion law is an invitation for “miscarriage bounty hunters."

"I am personally pro-life, but like a lot of Oklahomans I do not favor extremes on either side of this issue," she said in a statement. "Most people agree that abortion policy is complicated as no two circumstances are the same, and that some women face unimaginable circumstances. It’s why I oppose Governor Stitt’s extreme ban on abortion that shows no mercy for survivors of rape or incest and prevents doctors from making life-saving medical decisions."

More: Private group raises money for new Oklahoma governor's residence

Someone seeking an abortion should not be prosecuted under Oklahoma's anti-abortion laws, and the state's prohibitions on the procedure don't apply to a woman having a miscarriage or seeking treatment for an ectopic pregnancy, Attorney General John O'Connor wrote in recent guidance.

It was not immediately clear how Hofmeister might attempt to repeal the state's abortion ban considering Oklahoma's GOP-led Legislature approved that legislation and other anti-abortion bills by wide margins.

During her 2014 run for superintendent, Hofmeister said she would support legislation to ban abortion except to save the life of the mother if Roe were overturned, according to The Frontier. Her stance on abortion has since changed, she told the online news outlet.

Her campaign did not respond to questions about what, if any, abortion protections she would like to see in state law and up to what point she thinks a woman should be able to receive an abortion.

Sally’s List, a nonpartisan Oklahoma group that aims to elect "progressive" women who prioritize abortion rights, endorsed Democratic candidates up and down the ballot but did not back Hofmeister.

A former lifelong Republican, Hofmeister is running for governor as a moderate, which likely will earn her support from across the political spectrum.

“Joy will not use the terminology of being pro-choice, and that’s a requirement for us,” said Sara Jane Rose, the founder and director of Sally’s List. “I do believe she is (pro-choice) but she won’t use that term.”

Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes did not endorse in the Oklahoma governor's race.

More:Oklahoma has record number of female candidates for statewide elections

Ervin Yen leans on his medical experience when addressing abortion

Former Republican state Sen. Ervin Yen, who is running for governor as an independent, has plans to challenge Oklahoma's anti-abortion laws in court and at the ballot box.

The Oklahoma City anesthesiologist said he would ask the Legislature to put to a statewide vote a question on abortion rights. Should lawmakers refuse, Yen said he would advocate for a citizen-led initiative petition to protect a woman's right to choose.

He suggested writing the proposed state question so that it asks voters to ensure women have a right to seek an abortion up to about 15 or 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Yen also said he would mount a legal challenge against Oklahoma’s abortion ban. There are attorneys who say such bans violate religious freedom protections, he said.

He wants the state to offer free emergency contraception, also known as Plan B or the “morning after” pill. Yen also wants to ensure women have access to transportation so they can seek an abortion out of state, although he said it's unlikely the state could foot the bill for travel costs.

A Catholic, Yen said he used to consider himself to be "pro-life" until he thought deeply about the issue after Roe was overturned.

“You’re not either pro-life or pro-choice, and I’m in the middle," he said. "I certainly don’t believe it’s the government’s job to say women cannot terminate their pregnancies after conception.”

Under Oklahoma’s anti-abortion laws, pregnant women have fewer rights than the fetus they are carrying, Yen said.

Yen made national headlines when he voted in 2016 against a bill to criminalize abortion while he was serving in the state Senate. Yen called the bill that was later vetoed "insane" because it openly disregarded the Roe precedent and was ripe for a legal challenge.

Related:Hofmeister opposed Medicaid management change implemented by Stitt

Government shouldn't mix with health care decisions, Libertarian says

Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Natalie Bruno said she'd like to see the Oklahoma Constitution include language ensuring the government stays out of private medical decisions, including those on abortion.

Voters would have to approve any updates to the constitution.

Saying she's "disgusted" with the state's abortion ban, Bruno said the government has no place in health care decisions. Women have bodily autonomy, and they should be able to make their own health care decisions in consultation with their doctor, she said.

"It's pretty dicey to allow the government to make decisions when it comes to health care choices in general," Bruno said. "That's in regards to abortion. That's in regards to vaccines. That's in regards to any kind of medical decision."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Where do Oklahoma's governor candidates stand on abortion?