WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: Dem State Leaders Call Out GOP For National Abortion Ban
September 16, 2022
Yesterday, as Senator Lindsey Graham promised that if Republicans “take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you we’ll have a vote on our [national abortion ban],” Democrats across the country are calling out the GOP for their extreme and dangerous agenda that attacks a woman’s fundamental right to make her own health care decisions.
Here’s a look at what Democratic state party leaders and campaigns across the country are saying as Republicans try to push legislation for a national abortion ban:
In Florida:
Florida Democratic Party spokesperson Grant Fox: “Introducing a federal abortion ban is just the latest example of Marco Rubio pushing dangerous restrictions on Floridians’ freedom to make their own health care decisions. Rubio has long made it clear that he supports extreme policies that go even farther than this national ban, including bans on abortion with no exceptions for victims of rape, incest, or humantrafficking.”
In Iowa:
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn: “Reproductive freedom is about personal liberty and ensuring Iowans can make important decisions about their health care with their doctors and the people they love and trust. A majority of Iowans agree that abortion should be legal. That’s why I’m calling on Kim Reynolds, Chuck Grassley, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson and Randy Feenstra to be honest with Iowans: Do they support a national abortion ban? Control over your own body gets at the heart of what it means to be free and Iowa Democrats believe that everyone has the right to decide their own destiny.”
In Nevada:
Cortez Masto campaign spokesman Josh Marcus-Blank: “As Attorney General, Laxalt pushed for strict abortion bans across the country and even worked to restrict birth control access. He has focused his campaign on a statewide abortion ban that is even more restrictive than the federal ban proposed today, so there is no question he would support it if elected.”
In North Carolina:
North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson: “The stakes of this election couldn’t be more clear. Ted Budd will stand with Republicans to pass a national abortion ban and take away North Carolinians’ freedom, while Cheri Beasley will protect our freedoms and ensure people are able to make their own medical decisions.”
In Ohio:
Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters: “Ohioans’ freedom to choose is on the line in this year’s election. While Tim Ryan would protect Ohioans’ most personal and fundamental rights, J.D. Vance would be another ‘Yes’ vote for Republicans’ extreme agenda of banning abortion nationwide. Ohioans have already seen the consequences of Mike DeWine and Ohio Republicans’ dangerous anti-abortion agenda with the cruel stories of rape survivors denied the healthcare they need, and when they go to the polls this fall they will make it clear that they don’t want to see more politicians insert themselves into these critical healthcare decisions.”
In Pennsylvania:
Spokesman for Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman, Joe Calvello, released the following challenge to Dr. Oz: “Would you vote for Sen. Graham’s bill to ban abortions after 15 weeks? It’s a simple yes or no question, and ‘it should be left to the states’ is not a real answer. The people of Pennsylvania deserve to know how Oz would vote on this bill if he were in the U.S. Senate. They deserve to know where he stands when it comes to an issue as fundamental as reproductive rights.”
In Texas:
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa: “For decades, Republicans have tried to convince voters that all they wanted was for abortion to become a state issue. Today, they have shown their hand: it was all a lie. They just want to control women’s bodies and force women to give birth – nationwide. If this sounds horrifying and dystopian, it’s because it is. Here in Texas, Greg Abbott and Republicans have enacted one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country – with no exceptions for rape or incest. […] But in recent months, we’ve seen Texas voters – especially young Texans and Texan women – begin to push back like never before. From Democratic-led counties across Texas working to protect abortion access, to this new proposed nationwide abortion ban – we have seen this to be true: abortion is on every single line of the ballot…”
In Wisconsin:
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff: “Does Tim Michels support a nationwide ban on abortion? His track record – both in what he says and where he directs his money – indicates that answer is most likely yes.”