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The Quickie: Pennsylvania Court Elections Show There Are No Off Years For Abortion Rights

For Immediate Release: Sept. 5, 2023


Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: PP endorses candidates in crucial court elections, Nikki Haley falsely claims to be a moderate on abortion, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo warns that abortion bans have economic consequences.

PENNSYLVANIA COURT ELECTIONS SHOW THERE ARE NO OFF YEARS FOR ABORTION RIGHTS:  Elections in non-presidential or midterm election years may have traditionally flown under the radar, but as Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates (PPPA) PAC’s executive director, Signe Espinoza, reminds us, “There are no off years when it comes to abortion rights.” In an op-ed for City & State Pennsylvania, Espinoza explains that Pennsylvania’s upcoming court elections this November could shape the reproductive freedom landscape for years to come. 

“Pennsylvania needs to remain a safe place for people to seek abortion care whether they live here, in Ohio or West Virginia, or in the next state that bans abortion. The very origins of liberty and independence are found here in Pennsylvania, and we honor that legacy by being a beacon of bodily autonomy in the region. 

The upcoming election gives us the chance to protect abortion for years to come. Judges in Pennsylvania remain on the bench for a long time, so we don’t have a do-over here. We have to pick the right ones this time – the ones who will stand with us in the fight for our rights.”

PPPA PAC has endorsed several candidates who will champion abortion rights: Dan McCaffrey for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Jill Beck and Tamika Lane for Superior Court, and Matt Wolf for Commonwealth Court. 

Read more at City & State Pennsylvania.
 

HALEY ISN’T A MODERATE ON ABORTION: Last week, Washington Post opinion writer Paul Waldman called out GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley on her misleading abortion rhetoric. As Waldman said, “Anyone tempted to believe Haley is a moderate on abortion should be warned: She isn’t.” He notes that despite Haley’s pivot to discussing the feasibility of a national abortion ban passing through congress, she is on the record supporting a nationwide ban. 

The Biden-Harris administration has taken critical steps to protecting abortion rights and access via executive orders, HHS regulatory changes, and their judicial nominations — something a Haley administration would work to undo. The clear contrast between Republicans’ stance on abortion rights and Democrats centering abortion as a key issue in 2024 is highlighted in a recent Reuters piece.

Read more at the Washington Post.  
 

U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY RAIMONDO: ABORTION BANS WILL “BACKFIRE”: Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union this weekend, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo highlighted the adverse economic consequences for states that ban abortion, “Businesses are not going to want to do business with states that are hostile to women.” She reminded viewers that these “draconian” abortion bans in some states will make it harder to attract top talent and business. In the year since Roe was overturned, the impact of abortion bans is being felt across sectors, from where students want to go to college to where workers want to build a life with their families

Watch the exchange here.

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