'Republicans on rape' meme shows real quotes from politicians

[Thiệu Ngô]

For example, 1990 Texas gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams once likened rape to bad weather, saying, "If it's inevitable, relax and enjoy it."

By Jordan Liles

Claim:

An October 2025 meme, titled, "Republicans on rape," authentically presented quotes from six Republicans who either campaigned as candidates or held elected office.

Rating: Correct Attribution

Context

The first sentence of the quote attributed to 1990 Texas gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams paraphrased one of his remarks. Also, former Maine state Rep. Lawrence Lockman apologized for his comment about rape after it resurfaced in 2014. Several Maine-based publications reported on the quote at the time, though we have not yet located the originating source material for the 1990 quote online.

A meme, titled, "Republicans on rape," circulated online in October 2025, offering six alleged quotes on the subject of rape from Republicans who either campaigned as candidates or held elected office in the U.S.

On Oct. 14, a user managing the progressive Occupy Democrats Facebook and Instagram pages posted the meme. The poster added, "You can fact check all of these quotes. They REALLY said all this."

In short, the meme authentically presented real quotes from all six Republican Party members, including from 1990 Texas gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams, former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, 2012 Indiana U.S. Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, former Texas state Rep. Jodie Laubenberg and former Maine state Rep. Lawrence Lockman.

Snopes contacted Santorum, Mourdock and Lockman for comment — the only three people mentioned in the meme who are still alive. We will update this story if we receive further information.