'Texans will rise up,' Beto O'Rourke speaks out as Roe v. Wade controversy brews
HOUSTON - Texas Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke is taking a stance on abortion rights in Texas after the leaked SCOTUS document showed the high court could aim to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
MORE: What you need to know about a key abortion ruling that the Supreme Court looks poised to overturn
He spoke at a Thursday morning press conference in Austin, urging the public and young voters to step up.
"Texas was the answer to the challenges we faced in 1973, Texas will be the answer to the challenges we face in 2022," said O'Rourke. "Win political power, that is the only way to overcome this. I want to make it clear no one, but no one is riding to our rescue from outside of Texas."
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If Roe v. Wade were overturned, it would likely make abortion illegal in a majority of states including Texas, which already has some of the most strict abortion laws in our nation.
"This is a really dark road that Greg Abbott has put us on in the state of Texas," said O'Rourke.
EXPLAINER: What the end of Roe v. Wade would mean for Texas’ past, current and future abortion laws
In a press conference in Houston Thursday afternoon, Governor Greg Abbott shared the following statement:
"The election in 2014 was a referendum on abortion, and I won that race by 20-points so regardless of what position people have on abortion, I feel confident that I’m going to win just as easily this year," said Governor Abbott.
A recent poll conducted by the Texas Politics Project shows that a majority of Texans strongly oppose banning abortions.
RELATED: Supreme Court chief justice confirms authenticity of leaked Roe draft, orders investigation
SCOTUS has come forward saying the leaked document was only a draft and not their final decision, but it hasn’t stopped women’s rights activists all over from protesting and speaking out.
"I can’t tell our fellow Texas moms, and us Texas moms certainly can’t tell our daughters that everything is going to be alright, because this is not alright," said one activist during O'Rourke's presser in Austin.
However, for pro-life activists, the idea of abortion becoming illegal is everything they’ve been working toward.
"Very hopeful, and very enthused, and very much staying in the mode of pure prayer that this will be the final decision," said Christine Melchor, with Coalition for Life.