(Radio Iowa) – Four of the Republican candidates for governor say life begins at conception and they would work to make Iowa abortion law reflect that. Adam Steen — a former member of Governor Reynolds’ cabinet — says abortion will be the number one issue in the race against the Democratic Party’s likely nominee. “And Rod Sand will say the heartbeat went too far. The heartbeat bill did not go too far. We need to push that further We need to put a conception bill in,” Steen said. “We need to decimate the chemical abortions.”

The G-O-P candidates were asked about the issue last (Tuesday) night during a debate hosted by Moms for Liberty. The crowd laughed when a host opened the event by noting Congressman Randy Feenstra, the perceived front-runner in the G-O-P race for governor, had turned down their invitation and they cheered when Steen criticized Feenstra’s absence. “Why is Randy Feenstra not answering questions like we are answering?” Steen said. “We do not have an ability as a populace to drag him across the finish line to beat Rob Sand. That’s why this is so critical right now and it’s because of life.”

Feenstra was at President Trump’s events in central Iowa Tuesday afternoon and, in a written statement, Feenstra said he will always defend the unborn and protect the right to life.

Zach Lahn says a candidate’s stand on abortion is a foundational issue. “My wife and I went through a process and we were at a fertility clinic. We are now banned for life from that clinic because we refused to discard the embryos and the ones we refused turned into our youngest son, Fritz,” Lahn said, to applause. “And so that’s how far you have to go with this.” Brad Sherman, a pastor who’s a former member of the Iowa House, says the state should immediately ban abortion pills from being mailed into Iowa. “I was happy to vote for the heartbeat bill which prevented surgical abortions after six weeks,” Sherman said, “but folks, we need to do better.”

Eddie Andrews, a current member of the Iowa House, also voted for the six-week abortion ban. “It’s not that we’re one issue voters,” Andrews said. “It’s that it’s the first issue. If you can’t get life right, then I can’t trust anything else that you’ve got.” Life at conception bills that would ban all abortions in Iowa have been introduced in the Iowa legislature, but have never made it to the governor’s desk. Democrats say the bills could make contraceptives and some certain fertility treatments illegal.

Alabama’s Supreme Court recently ruled frozen embryos are children and those who destroy embryos could be held liable for wrongful death.