REWIND: Bernie Moreno Caught On Tape Calling Ohio Women “A Little Crazy,” Faces Major Backlash For Mocking Ohioans

COLUMBUS, OH – After Bernie Moreno was caught on tape calling Ohio women “a little crazy” for wanting to make their own health care decisions, he continues to face major “backlash” from Ohioans of both parties.

Moreno has said he is “100% pro-life with no exceptions” and “absolute pro-life, no exceptions.” He would support a national abortion ban, overturning the will of Ohioans who voted overwhelmingly to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution just last year.

WATCH MORE FROM WCMH HERE

Colleen Marshall, WCMH: “NBC 4 obtained a video recorded at a Warren County town hall during which Moreno accused suburban women of being focused solely on their ability to get an abortion and questioned why it would even be an issue for older women.”

Bernie Moreno: “A lot of suburban women that are like ‘listen, abortion is it. If I can’t have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else.’ Ok, a little crazy, by the way. But, especially for women that are like past 50, I’m thinking to myself, I don’t think that’s an issue for you. Oh thank God my wife didn’t hear that one.”

WATCH MORE FROM WSYX HERE

WSYX: “Tonight, the furor continues over some video secretly recorded of Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. Moreno wondered why women over 50 would care about abortion.”

Darrel Rowland, WSYX: “As the remarks have caught national attention, ABC6 talked with a pair of GOP women who made Ohio political history.”

Former Ohio Attorney General Republican Betty Montgomery: “Just because I’m of a certain age doesn’t mean I don’t care about it… If I were to believe that, I shouldn’t care about whether or not we worry about prostate cancer for men. Or I shouldn’t worry about whether or not childhood cancer is taken care of.”

Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Deborah Pryce: “Women over 50 have daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and friends. And women over 50 are thoughtful about what their vote means for the future of our country, not just what it means for themselves.”

Former Ohio Attorney General Republican Betty Montgomery: “Quite frankly, that flip remark, it can be really damaging I think.”

WATCH MORE FROM WKYC HERE

WKYC: “Tonight, comments by Moreno about suburban women’s views on abortion are creating backlash… there is reaction from Democrats, but also from one notable Republican… It’s the video that’s leading to national criticism of GOP Senate hopeful Bernie Moreno speaking at a town hall last week in Warren County, he questioned why suburban women would be singularly focused on abortion.”

WKYC: “… Bernie Moreno thinks he knows better than the 57% of Ohioans who made themselves clear on this issue, referring to the passage of last year’s Issue 1, enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. Meanwhile, one prominent fellow Republican also weighed in, former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley posted on X: ‘Are you trying to lose the election? Asking for a friend.’”

WKYC: “Whether a joke or not, Moreno himself appeared to realize it might not have landed so well.”

Bernie Moreno: “Oh, thank God my wife didn’t hear that one.”

WKYC: “As for Moreno’s stance on abortion, despite his previous position in his 2022 Senate run, in which he supported no exceptions, his campaign says he currently supports a 15 week federal ban…”

WATCH MORE FROM WFMJ HERE

WFMJ: “Ohio’s Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno is facing some backlash, including from one time GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, over a comment that he made about single issue abortion voters over the weekend. NBC News obtained the video captured during a Warren County town hall on Friday where Moreno accused suburban women of being focused solely on their ability to get an abortion.”

WFMJ: “In a post on X Haley saying, ‘Are you trying to lose the election?’”

WATCH MORE FROM WJW HERE

WJW: “Moreno facing some backlash for questioning why older women would cast their vote based on the abortion issue.”

WATCH MORE FROM WRGT HERE

WRGT: “Ohio’s Republican candidate for U S Senate, Bernie Moreno [facing] pushback for his comments related to abortions at a town hall in Warren County on Friday. According to CBS News, Moreno says he doesn’t think abortion is, quote, an issue for women who are past 50, while claiming many suburban women are single issue voters on abortion.”

WATCH MORE FROM WBDT HERE

WBDT: “Republican Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno is facing backlash tonight because of comments he made over the weekend about women who support reproductive rights.”

Spectrum News: “Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno taking a hit from a member of his own party over recent comments he made about women of a certain age… One notable Republican taking issue with those remarks: former presidential candidate and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.”

Spectrum News: “At a town hall Friday, Moreno questioned why women voters over 50 would care about abortion issues. Republican Ed Dunn spoke at the rally saying he felt insulted by Moreno.”

WATCH MORE FROM SCRIPPS NEWS HERE

Scripps News: “A Republican running for the U.S. Senate in Ohio is facing criticism, including from former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, after he said it was, ‘a little crazy’ for women older than 50 to worry about abortion rights…”

Scripps News: “Bernie Moreno, who is running against incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, reportedly said he didn’t understand why many older, suburban women support only candidates who allow them to ‘have an abortion in this country whenever I want.’”

Scripps News: “But on social media, Haley wrote, ‘Are you trying to lose the election? Asking for a friend.’”

WATCH MORE FROM CNN HERE

Scott Jennings, Republican Political Strategist: “On the Moreno comment, which we played, I always tell candidates…when you’re talking about issues and you’re talking about people, even people that may disagree with you on an issue, you have to do so with great care and understanding their views… you sort of forfeit that when you start to become flip.”

Wolf Blitzer, CNN: “[Moreno said] that women over 50 don’t need to care about reproductive rights. Nikki Haley tweeted this quote… ‘Are you trying to lose the election? Asking for a friend.’”

Ana Navarro, Political Strategist: “So it is very stupid, short sighted and offensive for somebody to think that because you reach a certain age, you stop caring. Because you no longer can have children, you stop caring.”

Scott Jennings, Republican Political Strategist: “I usually advise candidates, don’t be flippant and don’t be a pundit. I listened to the clip from Moreno. I think he was doing both… And so my advice would be to talk about all these issues with care and respect for everybody, and you’d be better off in the future.”

Kaitlan Collins, CNN: “[Bernie Moreno] is now facing scrutiny over comments that he made about women.”

Ohio Woman: “I mean, I don’t even know what to say, like, honestly, and I’m, you know, a mother, a daughter, sisters. I have a granddaughter. Of course, it matters to me.”

WATCH MORE FROM CNN HERE

Maura Gillespie, former John Boehner aide: “I feel as though I’m a broken record, but a woman’s worth is not tied to her womb. And to talk about abortion as if it’s just about one single thing, it’s women’s health… And I think that Republicans will continue to lose on this issue if they undermine women… This is a moronic comment to make, and you’re isolating the very voter base that you need to win over. And Ohio showed that to us last November when they, you know [passed] the referendum, and this is not going to win over that voter base they largely need to get.”

Read More:

New York Times: Bernie Moreno Under Fire Over Comments About Suburban Women
New York Times: Republican Candidates Keep Straying Into Dangerous Territory: Abortion
Washington Post: Democrats — and Nikki Haley — knock GOP Senate hopeful over suburban women comments
Washington Post: Republicans keep coming up with new ways to insult women
Washington Post: Ohio GOP Senate candidate dismisses older suburban women focused on abortion rights
Columbus Dispatch: Bernie Moreno says Founding Fathers would ‘murder you’ for backing abortion rights – “He also faced backlash after chiding suburban women who prioritize abortion rights at the ballot box, according to audio obtained by the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau and first reported by NBC4 in Columbus.”
HuffPost: Nikki Haley Blasts GOP Candidate’s Comments On Women Voters
HuffPost: GOP Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno Asks Why Women ‘Past 50’ Are Worried About Abortion
Cleveland.com: ‘I don’t think that’s an issue for you’: Ohio U.S. Senate nominee Bernie Moreno derides older women voting based on abortion
Toledo Blade: Ohio U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno calls focus on abortion rights ‘a little crazy’
Ohio Capital Journal: Independents, Republicans chide Moreno over comments about older women and abortion
Ohio Capital Journal: Bernie Moreno’s bold strategy: Going after Ohio women voters on abortion rights
NBC News: Two years after the end of Roe, abortion is still tripping up Republicans in key races
NBC News: Ohio GOP Senate candidate says ‘a lot of suburban women’ are ‘single-issue voters’ on abortion
CBS News: Ohio’s GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno says abortion isn’t “an issue” for women “past 50”
The Statehouse News Bureau: Moreno’s comments on women and abortion called “disrespectful”; campaign says it was a “joke”
The Statehouse News Bureau: Republicans, independents say they won’t vote for Moreno after comments on women and abortion
The Daily Beast: Male GOP Senate Candidate: Women’s Focus on Abortion Is ‘a Little Crazy’
Jezebel: Ohio GOP Senate Candidate Calls Women ‘Crazy’ for Caring About Abortion
The Hill: Haley rakes Ohio Senate candidate for criticizing suburban women on abortion stance
Politico Playbook: More top reads – “Ohio Senate candidate BERNIE MORENO made comments at a town hall Friday disparaging “single issue votes” focused on abortion, according to a clip unearthed by WCHM-TV that’s going viral…”
Newsweek: Bernie Moreno Attacks Ohio Women Over Abortion: ‘Little Crazy’
Raw Story: ’Don’t think that’s an issue for you’: GOP Senate candidate jabs women over 50 on abortion
Political Wire: Bernie Moreno Says Women Are ‘Single Issue Voters’
MSNBC: GOP’s Moreno: Women’s focus on abortion rights is ‘a little crazy’
WVXU: Analysis: Left and right come after Moreno for ‘joke’ about women over 50 and abortion rights
Roll Call: Buckeye Backlash – Moreno, the Republican trying to unseat Brown in Ohio, is facing blowback for comments he made about abortion.
Cleveland.com: Moreno women past 50 remark: Darcy cartoon
Cleveland.com: Why women over 50 care about abortion rights
TiffinOhio.net: Republican, Independent Ohioans slam Bernie Moreno for mocking women’s health care decisions