Direct Threats

May 2, 2019

The Threat is Coming from Inside the House and the Senate

In mid-April our rights to reproductive healthcare were threatened once again by the Republican majority in the NCGA, but this time they were joined by six Democrats. The conservative legislators who support this SB 359 are claiming it is not about abortion, but they’re just playing more of their political games with women. SB 359 compels doctors to save the life of a baby if the baby is born alive, which is already a law and part of a doctor’s oath. As usual, they are inventing problems in order to regulate women’s bodies. They specifically mean to intimidate and undermine abortion providers. Not only does this show a fundamental misunderstanding of science, this bill puts politicians squarely between a woman and her healthcare provider. Thankfully, Governor Cooper vetoed the bill.

The Democratic men who voted for this bill sided with conservatives against women and against the Governor. Sen. Don Davis even voted with the conservatives in the Senate veto vote on Tuesday evening. There are two Democratic male representative who have publicly stated they will vote against the Governor and for the bill in an upcoming veto override vote. Rep. Garland Pierce and Rep. Charles Graham are not the champions for reproductive rights and gender equity we need in the NCGA.

Lillian’s List is now recruiting pro-choice women who are champions of reproductive freedom to run against these six men in 2020. These Democratic men turned their backs on women and sided with conservatives and the President on this vote. They all represent districts where progressive, pro-choice women could win.

Unsurprisingly, all of the progressive women who you helped elect voted against this bill. Senators Terry Van Duyn, Natasha Marcus, Erica Smith, and Representatives Rachel Hunt, Carla Cunningham, and Susan Fisher all spoke against the bill. Would you like to thank these legislators for speaking up for women’s rights?