Minnesota GOP congressional candidate Joe Teirab speaks to WCCO CBS News Minnesota during an interview published Aug. 18, 2024. (Screenshot via CBS News)

Joe Teirab, the Republican candidate for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District seat, recently claimed that he opposes federal abortion restrictions, despite indicating the opposite in a recent anti-abortion survey.

During an interview with CBS News Minnesota last month, Teirab plainly stated that he opposes federal regulations on abortion when asked about his stance on the issue.

“You know, to be clear about this, I am against a federal ban or federal restrictions on abortion,” Teirab told CBS News Minnesota. “It is not a federal issue; it is a state issue. I think we need to move forward where we have consensus on this, like making sure we support adoption and foster care.”

Despite this interview, Teirab indicated the opposite position on a pro-life questionnaire conducted by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. In the survey, Teirab answered “yes” to multiple questions regarding the federal regulation of reproductive rights.

Below are some of Teirab’s responses to questions on the survey.

“Q: As an elected representative, do you recognize a federal role in protecting unborn children?

A: Yes

Q: Would you vote against any federal legislation that would place new limits on the ability of states to regulate abortion—for example, the so-called “Women’s Health Protection Act” (S. 1975/H.R. 3755 in the 117th Congress), sometimes referred to by critics as the “Abortion Without Limits Until Birth Act,” which is a successor to the so-called “Freedom of Choice Act”?

A: Yes

Q: Would you vote for chemical abortion legislation related to restricting its use, supporting the collecting and reporting of data on complications, or increasing safeguards for women?

A: Yes”

During the CBS interview, Teirab attempted to backtrack the survey answers when the host pressed him on them. . He claimed he meant the federal government supporting adoption and foster care.

“And that is really supporting adoption. I’ve had so many friends that have faced struggles with going through all the red tape of adoption and foster care, so we need to make sure we support those services,” Teirab said.

Still, Teirab’s claims are inconsistent with his answers on the MCCL survey, which does not mention adoption or foster services and specifically asks about federal regulations to restrict abortion care.

Teirab won the Republican nomination during the Aug. 13 primary, where he defeated Tayler Rahm by garnering 76% (16,670) of the vote. The former prosecutor will face incumbent Rep. Angie Craig (D) in November, who has successfully defended the vulnerable seat since 2019.