Vance says he will accept Pa. election results, wants to ensure election is secure

Ohio Sen. JD Vance said he would accept election results in Pennsylvania regardless of the outcome — but said he wants to make sure "only legal American citizens" vote.

"We also want to make sure every legal vote is cast and counted," the Republican vice presidential nominee said. "We want to make sure illegal aliens don't vote in our elections."

Republican Al Schmidt, Pennsylvania's top election official, has said there is "no evidence whatsoever that voter fraud takes place in any way that is widespread at all."

Schmidt faced threats of violence over the 2020 election results, when President Biden won the commonwealth. He is now talking to voters and officials in every Pennsylvania county in an effort to build confidence in the election.

In a one-on-one interview with CBS News Philadelphia before a campaign event in Montgomery County Tuesday, Vance discussed election integrity as well as reproductive rights and the importance of Pennsylvania in the election.

Asked about abortion policy, Vance said he and former President Donald Trump want to make it "easier for young women to choose life to begin with," citing housing and childcare costs and surprise medical bills.

"States (and) voters ought to make these decisions" about abortion laws, he said.

"We just want to make it easier for women to choose life, and we want Pennsylvanians to make their own abortion policy," he said.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, has made abortion rights a key part of her campaign and has referred to abortion restrictions passed since Roe v. Wade was overturned as "Trump abortion bans."

When it comes to Pennsylvania voters, Vance said the state "represents the greatness of American manufacturing."

"I think it's a state receptive to the Trump message to bring more good manufacturing jobs back to the United States of America. Rebuild the middle class. Make groceries and housing more affordable," Vance said.

Some experts say the cost of Trump's plan to add a 10% tariff on all imported items would mostly fall on low- and middle-income families and would make prices higher overall.

Moms for America, a conservative group that says it aims to "empower moms, promote liberty, and raise patriots," hosted the campaign event at the Union League Liberty Hill in Lafayette Hill.

Both campaigns are focused on Pennsylvania in the run-up to the presidential election. Harris is set to campaign in Bucks County Wednesday. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden both attended events in the Philadelphia area Tuesday, and Gwen Walz, wife of Harris' running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, campaigned in Easton and in Chester County Monday. Trump spoke at a town hall in Oaks, Pennsylvania, Monday as well.

With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is the largest of the battleground states. According to recent CBS News polling , Trump and Harris remain in a near tie among likely voters nationwide and in battleground states.