Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said abortion is a “life-sustaining” health care procedure that must remain available during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Democratic governor spoke about the importance of abortion services during David Axelrod’s “The Axe Files” podcast Wednesday.

Mr. Axelrod said, “As we speak, in Texas and a couple of other states, I think Ohio may be another, the state has asked to suspend abortion services as part of this COVID-19 protocol. This is probably gonna go to the Supreme Court. What is your reaction to that? You’re a governor, you have to make these decisions as well, there are other procedures that have been suspended.”

“We stopped elective surgeries here in Michigan,” Ms. Whitmer responded. “Some people have tried to say that that type of a procedure is considered the same and that’s ridiculous,” she added, referring to abortion.

“A woman’s health care, her whole future, her ability to decide if and when she starts a family is not an election, it is fundamental to her life,” she continued. “It is life sustaining and it’s something that government should not be getting in the middle of. “

Mr. Axelrod asked Ms. Whitmer whether she thought conservatives were using the pandemic as a “back door” way to try to permanently ban abortions or if temporarily banning them during the crisis was a “legitimate public policy decision.”

“My gut is it’s the former,” the governor replied. “I’m not in Texas, I don’t know all the individuals involved, but I do think there is a concerted effort to use every opportunity to take away women’s ability to make our own health care decisions.”

States that have moved to restrict abortion during the crisis include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas, Fox News reported.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.