Ryan on abortion stance: 'I've come a long way'

YOUNGSTOWN

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan said his changed view on abortion — going from pro-life to pro-choice — has nothing to do with politics and reflects “where my heart and mind is now.”

Ryan of Howland, D-13th, wrote a column in Wednesday’s Akron Beacon Journal about his decision.

“Today, I am a 41-year-old father and husband whose feelings on this issue have changed. I have come a long way since being a single, 26-year-old state senator, and I am not afraid to say that my position has evolved as my experiences have broadened, deepened and become more personal. And while I have deep respect for people on both sides of this conversation, I would be abandoning my own conscience and judgment if I held a position that I no longer believed appropriate.”

In a Wednesday interview with The Vindicator, Ryan said he tried to work with those who are pro-life, but “their positions are pretty extreme.”

Specifically, Ryan said many who are pro-life oppose the use of contraception, which would reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

Read the complete story in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.