Carefully Coordinated Campaign From Anti-Abortion Movement Challenges Democrats In Unexpected Ways
Much to the distress of abortion rights supporters, their own polling shows that the right’s message is penetrating beyond the social conservatives who make up a large part of the Republican base. Meanwhile, Democratic candidates continue to speak out against Alabama's bill as national Republicans try to distance themselves from it.
The New York Times:
Republicans’ Messaging On Abortion Puts Democrats On The Defensive
With grisly claims that Democrats promote “birth day abortions” and are “the party of death,” the Republican Party and its conservative allies have aggressively reset the terms of one of the country’s most divisive and emotionally fraught debates, forcing Democrats to reassess how they should respond to attacks and distortions that portray the entire party as extremist on abortion. The unusually forceful, carefully coordinated campaign has created challenges that Democrats did not expect as they struggle to combat misinformation and thwart further efforts to undercut access to abortion. (Peters, 5/16)
The Associated Press:
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones Calls New Abortion Ban 'Shameful'
Democratic U.S. Sen. Doug Jones condemned Alabama's new abortion ban as "extreme" and "irresponsible" Thursday, a day after the state's Republican governor signed the most restrictive abortion measure in the country into law. "I think this bill, frankly, is shameful. It is callous," Jones told reporters. "This bill uses rape victims and victims of incest at all ages, even minors, as political pawns." (Chandler and Paterson, 5/16)
The Associated Press:
Gillibrand Travels To Georgia To Criticize New Abortion Laws
Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand says that, as president, she'd seek to write into law the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling that legalized abortion. During a rally at Georgia's state Capitol on Thursday, the New York senator criticized recent abortion bans signed into law in Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama as "a nationwide assault on women's constitutional rights by ideological extremists." (Nadler, 5/16)
The Hill:
Senate Republicans Running Away From Alabama Abortion Law
Senate Republicans are scrambling to distance themselves from a harsh new Alabama law that bans nearly all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest, and carries a penalty of up to 99 years in prison for anyone performing the procedure. Most GOP senators are trying their best to steer clear of the firestorm, arguing it’s a state-level issue that doesn’t involve Congress. (Bolton, 5/16)
The Wall Street Journal:
With States’ Abortion Bans Stacking Up, Democrats See Opening To Rally Voters
Many Democrats running for president denounced the legislation. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass) called it “an unconstitutional attack on women.” Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) said “women’s health care is under attack.” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) said “this is a war on women” and will speak at an event condemning anti-abortion legislation in Georgia, which this month passed a law banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, as early as six week. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a national group that supports Democratic candidates for state legislatures, sent out a fundraising plea tied to the bill’s passage. (Duehren, 5/16)
The Hill:
House GOP Leader Says Alabama Abortion Ban Goes 'Further Than I Believe'
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Thursday he believes an Alabama law banning nearly all abortions goes too far. “It goes further than I believe, yes,” McCarthy said during a press conference when asked about the restrictive policy. ...The comments from the GOP House leader came just a day after Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed into law the most restrictive abortion policy in the nation. (Wise, 5/16)
