JAMES DAVID VANCE. Senator from Ohio, is Donald Trump’s choice for his running mate (Shutterstock).

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance  said on Sunday that former president and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would veto a national ban on abortion if passed by Congress.

Speaking on the NBC “Meet the Press” program, Vance said “I can absolutely commit [to] that. Donald Trump’s view is that we want individual states and their individual cultures and their unique political sensibilities to make these decisions  because we don’t want to have a non-stop federal conflict over this issue.”

That position has drawn some dismay from left and right. Abortion rights activists are skeptical about Trump’s intentions since he appointed three pro-life justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade (which created a national right to abortion).

Anti-abortion groups worry that Trump may be retreating from his support for banning abortion. “God have mercy on this nation if this is now the position of what was the Pro-Life Party,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

Exchange of fire, then … a pause?

Hezbollah and Israel exchanged heavy fire on Sunday, raising the possibility of a wider war.

But both sides appeared to quickly state that there was not an escalation coming. On Sunday, Israel launched about 100 planes to attack several dozen Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon in what was called a pre-emption of a feared attack.

“What happened today is not the final word,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In reply, 340 rockets were fired at military sites in Israel. Casualties on both sides were light. A scholar in Beirut said that Hezbollah’s situation was “we’ve registered a response and now move on from this phase of anticipation of wider escalation.

Sports: Mookie saves the Dodgers

A two-run home run by Mookie Betts lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at home on Sunday.

The earlier score for the Blue Crew was a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth by Enrique Hernandez. Gavin Stone pitched a strong game for the home team, working seven innings and giving up just three hits and one run.

He struck out seven batters and walked two.

With the win, the Dodgers are 78-53 and lead the National League West by three games over the streaking Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won six games in a row.

Sports: Angels drop fifth straight game

One day after the Los Angeles Angels barely escaped being no-hit, they did a little better.

On Sunday they managed three hits and lost their fifth straight game, falling 8-2 in Toronto.

Brandon Drury’s home run was a highlight for the Halos, who are now 54-77 and remain in fifth and last place in the American League West.

Weather: Up and down again

Our West Orange County area seems to be on a familiar pattern of warming up and cooling down. Monday’s daytime high will be 84 with an overnight low of 65. On Tuesday it dips to 83 (64), then to 80 (62) on Wednesday and 79 (53) on Thursday. Skies will be partly cloudy all day.