On Tuesday, West Virginians will vote on a proposed amendment to their state constitution that says simply this:

§57. No constitutional right to abortion.

Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is nominally pro-life and has mostly voted this way during his career. But he announced during tonight's debate that he will be voting against the amendment — after a considerable amount of hemming and hawing. Watch it here:



As he bumbles his way through the question, Manchin keeps falling back on the issue of exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the life of the mother. But if you're really pro-life this is irrelevant, because Amendment One would not ban any abortions.

All the amendment does is clarify that West Virginia's constitution does not contain a right to abortion or require that taxpayers fund abortions.

To actually put limits on abortion would require legislation, and that legislation would be the place to discuss exceptions like rape and incest. But Manchin, under pressure from Planned Parenthood and a highly pro-abortion left wing of the Democratic Party, tries to evade the issue by splitting hairs. Assuming the polls are right and he's not too far ahead of Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrissey, this single answer could cost him dearly on Tuesday.

[Also read: Manchin's official social media accounts hacked]