GOP candidate casts doubt on whether women can get pregnant from rape

According to a report from Axios, a Prince William County, Virginia county supervisor running to unseat Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) suggested, during a question and answer get-together, there may be evidence that a woman can't become pregnant after being raped .

Axios is reporting that audio taken during the event in Stafford County revealed that Yesli Vega "downplayed" the potential for pregnancy after a sexual assault.

Vega, who won the Republican primary after getting endorsements from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ginni Thomas, wife of conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, told attendees, "The left will say, 'Well what about in cases of rape or incest?' I'm a law enforcement officer. I became a police officer in 2011. I've worked one case where as a result of a rape, the young woman became pregnant."

When asked, "I've actually heard that it's harder for a woman to get pregnant if she's been raped. Have you heard that?" she agreed that there is a possibility that was true.

"Well, maybe because there's so much going on in the body. I don't know. I haven't, you know, seen any studies. But if I'm processing what you're saying, it wouldn't surprise me," she replied. "Because it's not something that's happening organically. You're forcing it. The individual, the male, is doing it as quickly — it's not like, you know — and so I can see why there is truth to that. It's unfortunate."

According to Ned Oliver of Axios, "The identity of the person asking the questions in the audio is unknown. Vega's campaign did not dispute the audio's authenticity to Axios," before adding, "Vega has been unabashed in her support for reversing Roe, but her comments suggest her views may be a tough sell in a Democratic-leaning swing district that is expected to be key in deciding control of Congress next year."

The report adds that Vega issued a statement to Axios that read: "I'm a mother of two, I'm fully aware of how women get pregnant."

Vega's comments are similar to remarks made by Republican Todd Akin made in 2012 that doomed his bid for a U.S. Senate seat.

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