'Hard to say': J.D. Vance squirms as Fox News hosts grill him on 'reasonable' abortion exceptions

Republican U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance of Ohio admitted having a "hard" time deciding what "reasonable exceptions" he would accept if Republicans can enact a federal abortion ban.

The candidate was pressed on his position Wednesday by Fox News hosts John Roberts and Sandra Smith.

"You said reasonable exceptions," Roberts noted. "What exceptions are reasonable to you?"

"Well, look, I think it's always hard to say every single possible exception," Vance replied. "My goal, like I said, John, is to save as many lives as possible, to try to protect as many unborn babies as possible."

Vance pointed to Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) proposed national abortion ban as a model.

"But — but — but I'm pro-life and I'm not ashamed of it," he insisted.

Sandra Smith pressed Vance after he skirted the question.

"One last chance for voters to hear what those exceptions might be," Smith offered.

"Look, I — I — I — I think that I — I — I, like I said," Vance stuttered.

"OK," Smith reacted.

"One obvious exception, of course, is you've got to make sure that you have life of the mother protected," the candidate said. "There are other exceptions as well. My view is we want to save as many lives as possible."

It was not clear from Vance's answer if he supports exceptions for rape and incest.

Watch the video below from Fox News.