Rep. Joe Walsh: No Abortion 'Without Exception,' Even Rape and Incest

A Republican congressional candidate is at the center of growing criticism over remarks he recently made concerning exceptions when it comes to abortion.

Republican Rep. Joe Walsh of the 8th Congressional District in Illinois made his comments during a radio debate with Democratic challenger and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth that was conducted by WTTW's "Chicago Tonight."

It was the final time the pair will publically debate each other in what has been a highly contentious campaign.

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Walsh was elected in the 2010 elections as a highly favored Tea Party candidate. He felt he was elected in order "to help educate the American people" about the intrusive government policies created under Democratic President Barack Obama.

The pair discussed issues ranging from entitlement reform and the future of Medicare, but it was not until the two began their discussion of abortion that the debate became intense.

Walsh stated that he does not support nor does he believe that there should be any exception that would lead to the need for a mother to have an abortion. He also pledged to fight to preserve all life in every instance.

Walsh said he was against abortion "without exception," including rape, incest and in cases in which the life or health of the mother was in jeopardy.

Asked by reporters after the debate if he was saying that it's never medically necessary to conduct an abortion to save the life of a mother, Walsh responded, "Absolutely."

"Opponents of life throw that out there to make us look unreasonable- there is no such exception as life of the mother and is far as health of the mother, same thing … with advances in science and technology you can't find one instance … health of the mother has been a tool to have abortion for any reason," Walsh said.

Critics claim that the comments made are reminiscent of Rep. Todd Akin's explanation; he said that if a women is raped, "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."