Yesterday, Gov. Terry McAuliffe reiterated his vow to remain a “brick wall” against attacks on women’s health care when he promised to veto Virginia Republicans’ proposed 20-week abortion ban. Governor McAuliffe said the extreme measure “would be damaging toward business, and to our image around the country and the globe.”
Virginia Republicans don’t seem to care about the economic consequences of such legislation. In fact, they seem to think this is a more pressing issue than economic development or funding public education.
How do we know?
In posts late last year, the conservative blogs, Bearing Drift and The Bull Elephant, agreed on the “moral duty” of Republicans to support the proposed bill, Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HB 1473). They went even further and called on activists to primary Senate and House leadership if the bill doesn’t make it to the floor. The Bull Elephant even titled their post, “If You Want to Get Elected in 2017, You'll Support This Legislation.” The Virginia Family Foundation and the Virginia Freedom Caucus were closely monitoring support for the bill as well.
How have gubernatorial candidates Washington Insider Ed Gillespie, Frank Wagner, Corey Stewart responded? Silence.
“Would Republican gubernatorial candidates put Virginia’s economy first, or would they continue to put divisive social issues ahead of Virginians’ well being,” said Emily Bolton, Communications Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia. “So far, only Corey Stewart has said he would sign a 20-week abortion ban into law. Ed Gillespie and Frank Wagner continue to remain silent. With session about to begin, it is time all the GOP candidates make their position clear. If this is more important than economic development and funding education, Virginians ought to know their priorities.”
DPVA has created a helpful graphic to track the candidates’ positions, which will be updated when they are made public: