Mike Pence's Is As Anti-Choice As They Come

Update: On Friday via one simple tweet, Donald Trump confirmed Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is his vice presidential running mate.

Earlier: With a number of signs and reports on Thursday pointing to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as Donald Trump's pick for vice president, it's time to start digging into his record on the key issues. One topic where his views are especially depressing, if you care about protecting women's control over their bodies, is reproductive rights. Not to be blunt, but Pence's stance on abortion will likely be disturbing to anyone who identifies with the pro-choice movement.

Hold on to your lady bits, because Pence has supported and signed some of the most stringent anti-abortion bills in recent history. According to Samantha Allen of The Daily Beast, his anti-abortion push in Indiana has made it one of the most restrictive states for reproductive rights in the country. In March, Pence signed an anti-abortion bill that would bar women from having an abortion in the case of fetal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, in addition to other stringent requirements. Even many Indiana Republicans were against it. "The bill does nothing to save innocent lives. There's no education, there's no funding. It's just penalties," Republican state Rep. Sharon Negele told the Associated Press. Later, after public outcry, his own hashtag (#PeriodsForPence), and an lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union, a judge blocked the law on grounds of unconstitutionality.

Speaking of Planned Parenthood, Pence is not a fan. Pence has been one of the most outspoken enemies of the organization all the way back to 2011, according to Allen's report. He made defunding Planned Parenthood his pet project, and then declared, "I long for the day that Roe v. Wade is sent to the ash heap of history."