Over the past year, extreme restrictions on the right to choose have swept across Republican-held states like Oklahoma, Texas, and Idaho. Now, these far-right attacks are creeping closer to Illinois. Yesterday, Kentucky GOP legislators overrode the Democratic governor’s veto, enacting a law that will “effectively end” abortion access in the state. This comes in the wake of a Missouri proposal that specifically targets Illinois abortion providers and Iowa’s Republican governor indicating she would seek further restrictions if Roe is overturned.
Meanwhile in Illinois, GOP gubernatorial candidates have made it clear they would not hesitate to follow suit and strip abortion rights from Illinois women if given the chance. Extremists like Darren Bailey have even suggested that there should be no exceptions for abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
The GOP’s alarming agenda has no place in Illinois. Every single candidate for governor should answer whether they would seek to implement a harsh abortion ban in Illinois if elected.
• Darren Bailey has failed Illinois women at every turn. He called equal pay for equal work “controversial” and signed on to an amicus brief in support of Mississippi’s lawsuit to overturn Roe. He even said he opposes exceptions to abortion in the cases of rape or incest.
• Richard Irvin called Planned Parenthood “bad for Aurora” and compared it to a “strip club or asbestos company.” His running mate Avery Bourne voted against the state’s Reproductive Health Act and does not believe in exceptions for abortion, even when a mother’s life is threatened.
• Jesse Sullivan wants to enact a near-total ban on abortion and called legislation to protect reproductive rights “despicable.”
• Gary Rabine promises to emulate Donald Trump’s disastrous policies, pledged support for problematic crisis pregnancy centers, and has denounced early childhood education funding that supports new parents.
• Paul Schimpf voted against a bill that would protect access to abortion if Roe were overturned.
Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats enacted one of the strongest pieces of abortion protection legislation into law in 2019 to protect Illinois women against the potential overturning of Roe. The Pritzker administration has worked tirelessly with Illinois Democrats to ensure women have the right to choose if and when to start a family with whom they want and when they want, free of any political interference.
###
