Three Candidates Threatening Alaska Abortion Rights in 2022
For Immediate Release: Oct. 4, 2022
ANCHORAGE, AK — Abortion rights are on the line in Alaska’s November election. Although abortion is currently legal in the state, anti-abortion extremist politicians are eyeing stripping away abortion rights and inserting themselves into private medical decisions.
Mia Costello supported the nomination of Amy Coney Barret to the Supreme Court — her nomination being a key factor in the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Costello also sponsored a 2010 ballot initiative requiring minors notify their parents if they seek an abortion, an initiative that would put many young people in danger.
Bart LeBon not only cosponsored a cruel 2020 “heartbeat bill” similar to the Texas law, he also voted to support an amendment eliminating Medicaid funding for abortion - hurting the people who need support the most.
Jim Matherly has been clear about his views: the people of Alaska shouldn’t have a right to abortion care. And his barbaric views don’t stop there. He has also publicly mocked sexual assault survivors, vetoed a resolution establishing basic LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protections in Fairbanks, supported anti-transgender bills and continued to build out his good ol’ boys club at the police station.
“Abortion rights are not safe in the hands of people like Costello, LeBon and Matherly,” said Rose O'Hara-Jolley, Alaska State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. “We have to do everything in our power to keep anti-abortion politicians out of office and strike down a harmful constitutional convention. The stakes have never been higher and the threats to our rights are real.”
All people, regardless of where we live or what we look like, deserve to be able to make the best health care choices for ourselves and our families. The decision of when and if to become a parent is one of the most important many of us will make in life. We must defend this right.