FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2016
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The “moderate on reproductive rights.”
GOP candidates are dressing up as moderates this campaign season in order to mask their extreme, anti-choice views. Why? Because they know their anti-choice agenda doesn’t sit well with the seven in 10 Americans who believe in abortion access, voters who want birth control to be accessible and affordable, and Americans who want paid family leave.
Here are a few ways anti-choice politicians are trying (and failing) to fool voters with their disguise:
? Kelly Ayotte (NH-SEN)
Sen. Ayotte recently tried to trick (or treat!) voters into believing she cares about reproductive health care by handing out free condoms at a campaign event. But this gimmick doesn’t reflect her true agenda.
Here’s Sen. Ayotte’s record, unmasked:
- Wants to overturn Roe v. Wade
- Has voted to defund Planned Parenthood
- Opposes equal pay for women
- Introduced legislation that could make women pay twice for contraception
- Voted against a bill that would have helped survivors of human trafficking, all because she didn’t want to give those survivors access to abortion
? Marco Rubio (FL-SEN)
Sen. Rubio claiming that a woman has a right to reproductive health care would be laughable if it weren’t so scary, because his record reflects the exact opposite sentiment. Just have a look at his terrifying record for women:
- Believes abortion should be flat-out illegal, even in cases of rape and incest and even in light of the Zika outbreak in Florida
- Voted to defund Planned Parenthood, even when it meant shutting down the government
- Consistently voted against bills that would guarantee equal pay for equal work
- Opposes accessible and affordable contraception
? Pat Toomey (PA-SEN)
Sen. Toomey thinks he’s got voters fooled with his refusal to say whether he’ll vote for Donald Trump, but his spooky record reveals his true colors:
- Trump and Toomey both want to appoint Supreme Court justices who would defund Planned Parenthood and overturn Roe v. Wade
- Toomey has voted to criminally prosecute abortion providers and to allow bosses to interfere with their employees’ birth control coverage
- Has opposed opposes legislation that would guarantee women equal pay for equal work.
? Roy Blunt (MO-SEN)
Sen. Blunt is dressing up as moderate who can compromise and make things work in Washington, when in reality he is part of the problem:
- Introduced the Blunt amendment, which would have allowed corporations and insurance companies to refuse to cover birth control and other essential health care services including maternity care and mammograms
- Willing to shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding
- Consistently voted against equal pay legislation
- Opposes making contraception more accessible and affordable
? Joe Heck (NV-SEN)
Rep. Joe Heck is trying to mask his extreme record by running from Donald Trump and attending events targeted at women voters (what a strategy!): But his stances on issues that actually affect women’s lives show voters his true colors:
- Wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and ban abortion
- Voted against legislation that would guarantee equal pay for equal work
- Wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which has made contraception accessible and affordable for countless women in America
? Richard Burr (NC-SEN)
Sen. Burr’s moderate costume is wearing thin, as he’s someone whose record is bad for women through and through. Sen. Burr:
- Is dedicated to overturning Roe v. Wade
- Has also voted consistently against equal pay legislation
- Opposes the Affordable Care Act, despite the historic contraceptive and maternal health care benefits included in the law
NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”
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