Defeat of Anti-Choice Republican Incumbent Governor Matt Bevin Is a Win for Kentuckians and for Reproductive Freedom
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In response to Andy Beshear’s gubernatorial victory tonight in Kentucky, ousting anti-choice Republican Governor Matt Bevin, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue issued the following statement:
“We congratulate Governor-Elect Andy Beshear on a great campaign and an important victory. Tonight is a great night for Kentuckians and a massive win for reproductive freedom in Kentucky and across the country. Matt Bevin presided over Kentucky’s law to criminalizes abortion before many women even know they’re pregnant. He ran on this extreme agenda, in lockstep with Donald Trump, but tonight shows just how out-of-touch he was with Kentuckians who support reproductive freedom and do not believe politicians like Matt Bevin belong in their personal decisions. Andy Beshear never wavered on his commitment to the freedom of women to make our own personal decisions, even in the face of lies and attacks from the anti-choice GOP. His victory shows that good people can win by holding our values even in red states and directly rebukes Bevin and Trump’s agenda to control and punish women and families. This race is an important indicator of how we win in 2020.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America ran a statewide ad campaign hitting Bevin for his attempts to criminalize abortion and punish women. The campaign ran through Election Day and coincided with new polling from Public Policy Polling that shows criminalizing abortion is deeply unpopular among Kentucky voters.
You can see the digital ads here.
The recent poll of Kentucky voters found:
- Criminalization of abortion is unpopular among Kentucky voters, with 17% saying they would only vote for a candidate who supports criminalizing abortion and punishing women who obtain one.
- A majority of Democrats (71%) and independents (62%), and 45% of Republicans in Kentucky believe that abortion should be legal and that the government should not prevent a woman from making the decision for herself.
- A majority of Democrats (62%) and independents (57%) and a plurality of Republicans (47%) are more likely to vote for a candidate who would allow abortion later in pregnancy when something goes wrong, such as a fetus that cannot survive, danger to a woman’s life or health, or other serious circumstances.
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NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all. For more than 50 years, NARAL has worked 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. Since 1969, NARAL has made history, grown to over 2.5 million members, and met the moments that have defined this fight with action, power and freedom. 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.”