Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz told Fox News host Megyn Kelly on Monday that he did not support abortion rights even in the case of rape or incest because it was not “the child’s fault.” At a town hall event in Wisconsin, Kelly pointed out that many women would have a problem supporting Cruz because he did not favor an exception for rape. “They think you may be too far right on social issues,” she explained to the candidate.

“We can discuss this issue for however long you want,” Cruz replied. “The fact to the matter is that regardless of how a pregnancy occurs, in no way is it the child’s fault. The child is a product of the act, if I may refer to it as such, but killing it won’t change the fact that someone committed a terrible crime against its mother. And I’m sorry, but there is nothing about this issue that’s going to make me change my mind. I stand by the position that every pregnancy is a good pregnancy regardless of how it came to be.”

He added, “However, I recognize the fact that many women are reluctant to agree with me on this. That’s why, like any good politician, I have come up with a compromise which I believe will satisfy both sides. I believe states should allow women nationwide to pray for abortion in cases of rape, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go at this point. And indeed, women should have the freedom to pray for an abortion should they fall victim to such a horrible act regardless of their religion. And should the good Lord choose to answer their prayers, then so be it. I can’t argue with that.”

“Otherwise,” Cruz continued, “they’ll just have to suck it up and stick with it for nine months. And just to be clear, they can offer the child for adoption after that, or some other alternative, but they must bear the child to full term. And again, prayers are the way to go here. We can even organize public praying sessions throughout the country, where we would offer support to mothers-to-be. As a matter of fact, I hereby volunteer to organize and host the first such event in the country. I’ll get my father to lead the prayers and comfort those poor women that way. And should they feel they need to vote for me because of it, oh well, I guess there’s nothing I can do about that, now can I?”