"I've milked a few cows, spent most of my time walking behind lines of cows," he said. "So, if you want some ideas on repro, and the women's health thing, I have some definite opinions."

Nelsen laughed at the apparent joke before continuing his introduction. Afterward, the comments were excerpted from his roughly 45 second speech and posted on the Idaho Democratic Party's Facebook page. From there, it began circulating on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Reddit. 

"Let us be clear: politicians like Jack Nelsen have no business mandating our reproductive health care decisions," the Idaho Democratic Party said above the clip. 

Brooklyn-based pro-choice advocate Jessica Valenti tweeted about the clip to her roughly 312,000 followers. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, shared an Idaho Statesman editorial criticizing Nelsen's remarks to her 584,800 followers on the platform. Others nationwide replied. 

Now, Nelsen is apologizing for the joke—and publicly confirming his stance as one of Idaho's few pro-choice Republicans. 

"The way I phrased my statement about women and reproductive rights yesterday completely missed the mark. I'm embarrassed, and I offended others in the process. I am deeply sorry. I recognize the mistake and commit to doing better in the future," he said in a statement Thursday evening.

"The women in my life have taught me strength, resilience, integrity, hard work, joy, and love. I absolutely respect women, and the right to choose their own health care."

Nelsen positioned himself as a centrist in the run-up to the November election, emphasizing in interviews and campaign events that the government should not intervene in issues of women's health—namely decisions around abortion and contraception, including Plan B. 

“I’m not a right-wing Republican,” Nelsen said during an October candidate forum hosted by the Express. “I’m a firm believer in people’s rights: my body, my choice. For example, no one should tell you that you should have to get a vaccine; that should be between you and your doctor. I feel the exact same way about women’s health care.

"There is no reason for a government to be sitting in a doctor’s office with you. Of the different ways to address women’s health—day-after pills, etc.—that also is an issue between the woman and her doctor.”

The stance likely helped Nelsen in traditionally liberal Blaine County, where he outperformed his Republican ticketmates in the November midterm. 

In his Thursday statement, Nelsen affirmed his position on women's health.

"I have always operated and will continue to operate under the standard that the government does not belong in the doctor's office," Nelsen said.