“A Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape”

That’s the statement released by the campaign Sunday night:

Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s strong views on abortion took a back seat to his new boss’s view in a Romney-Ryan campaign response to a Missouri Senate candidate’s controversial remarks about rape and abortion.

The statement on behalf of Ryan and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney said the pair would “not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”

Rep. Todd Akin suggested to St. Louis station KTVI on Sunday that if a “legitimate rape” occurs, “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” Even if a pregnancy did result, Akin said, “The punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.” He later said he has empathy for rape victims and acknowledged that rapes can cause pregnancy.

“Gov. Romney and Congressman Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape,” the campaign said in a brief statement released on Sunday evening by Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul.

Ryan, R-Wis., holds a 100 percent voting record with the National Right to Life Committee. As far back as Ryan’s 1998 campaign, he is described as only finding abortion acceptable if the life of the mother is in danger, according to multiple articles in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that are referenced in a fact-checking article about Ryan’s views. He also opposes any exceptions to a procedure known as partial-birth abortion, according to the article.

When asked earlier this month whether his views have changed since his 1998 campaign, a spokesman for Ryan told CBS News that Ryan does believe some exceptions can be made by families and their doctor when the life of the mother is at risk.

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