Rubio: Zika-infected women shouldn’t have abortions

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is ruling out any exceptions to his anti-abortion stance for the Zika virus, which can cause severe birth defects.

Rubio said Saturday he did not support abortions for pregnant women infected with Zika even if the fetus would likely be born with microcephaly, a brain-damaging disorder.

“I understand a lot of people disagree with my view, but I believe that all human life is worthy of protection of our laws. And when you present it in the context of Zika or any prenatal condition, it’s a difficult question and a hard one,” Rubio told Politico. “But if I’m going to err, I’m going to err on the side of life.”

Rubio’s stance puts him out of step with the majority of Americans, and even among Republicans, according to a poll last week.

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans believe a woman with the Zika virus should have the right to obtain a late-term abortion if the fetus is very likely to have a severe birth defect, according to a poll by Stat News and Harvard University.  

Forty-eight percent of Republicans said they support access to abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy if the fetus is expected to have a birth defect.

A separate poll by Stat/Harvard found that only 12 percent of Republicans said they supported late-term abortions when Zika was not a factor.

Rubio, who is facing a tough reelection battle in Florida this fall, made clear his strong anti-abortion stance during his failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination.

Rubio drew fire in February when he said he opposed a woman’s right to an abortion even if she is a victim of incest or rape.

The rapid spread of Zika in the U.S. — with 900 new cases over the past week — is likely to spur a larger national debate about abortion. The disease is spread by mosquitoes and through sexual contact.

Nearly 500 pregnant women in the U.S. and its territories have contracted Zika. More than a dozen women have given birth to babies with birth defects, and another six women have miscarried because of the virus.