Democratic Primary Debates and news: on Abortion


Tom Steyer: Supports Roe v. Wade's right to privacy

Abortion: Steyer is emphatically pro-abortion. Steyer has a very thin public record of commenting on legal and judicial issues. He also supports Roe v. Wade, thus indicating a belief in the so-called constitutional "right to privacy" and "right to abortion."
Source: Josh Hammer, The Daily Wire, on 2019 Democratic primary Jul 12, 2019

Tom Steyer: Pro-choice, & only work for pro-choice candidates

Social issues: Protect a woman's right to abortion, and enact gun control legislation. Steyer is pro-choice, and made a point of saying so at the Netroots Nation conference in 2017, when he vowed his NextGen America group would not "work for a single candidate who is not pro-choice."
Source: PBS News Hour 2019 coverage of 2020 Democratic primary Jul 10, 2019

Andrew Yang: Male legislators shouldn't decide female reproductive rights

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang supports a woman's right to choose. "I personally don't think male legislators should be weighing in on women's reproductive rights and freedoms," he tweeted last month as Alabama passed its ban on nearly all abortions. Yang also believes the Hyde Amendment should be repealed, his campaign manager, Zach Graumann, told the NewsHour. Among the plethora of policy proposals on his campaign website, Yang argues that "the two most effective ways" to decrease the number of abortions are increasing access to birth control and providing support to those "who are financially struggling and become pregnant" through his plan for universal basic income. As president, Yang has said he would also nominate judges who support a woman's right to choose.
Source: PBS News Hour 2019 coverage of 2020 Democratic primary Jun 7, 2019

John Hickenlooper: Fight GOP-controlled legislatures' restrictive abortion laws

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has described recent efforts by GOP-controlled legislatures to pass restrictive abortion laws as "horrific." In response, Hickenlooper unveiled a plan to expand his Colorado Family Planning Initiative, which provides long-acting reversible contraception, including Intrauterine Devices, to all women above the age of 15 at no cost. The Colorado program, which Hickenlooper implemented in 2009, helped reduce teen pregnancies by 50 percent and reduced the rate of abortions among teens by nearly 50 percent, according to state health officials.

Hickenlooper's new plan would increase Title X funding by $700 million to fund the contraceptives, which he says would ensure access to low-income individuals. Hickenlooper also supports efforts to reinforce Roe v. Wade with a federal law.

Source: PBS News Hour 2019 coverage of 2020 Democratic primary Jun 7, 2019

Wayne Messam: Trust women to make their own decisions; period

Campaign advisers for Messam, the mayor of Miramar, Florida, said the candidate is in favor of allowing federal dollars to be used to provide abortions. On Messam's campaign website, women's health is the issue area with the shortest description. It includes a single sentence: "I trust women to make their own decisions when it comes to their health. Period."
Source: PBS News Hour 2019 coverage of 2020 Democratic primary Jun 7, 2019

John Hickenlooper: Against fetal heartbeat laws; favors access to contraception

Q: What is your reaction to fetal heartbeat bills?

A: I think those laws are unconstitutional. I recognize the difficulty of the question and I empathize with people on both sides. But I've always come down on the side of a woman's right to take care of her own health care. In Colorado we provided long-acting, reversible contraception. We have reduced teenage pregnancy and teenage abortion by over 60%. I think a woman has to ultimately have the right to make decisions about her own health.

Source: Meet the Press 2019 interviews for 2020 Democratic primary Mar 31, 2019

Kamala Harris: Investigated of anti-choice activist for violating law

United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council released the following statement as anti-choice groups increased their attacks on Harris for investigating potentially criminal acts by anti-choice agitator David Daleiden:

"Harris is doing her job to ensure those who break the law in their efforts to take away women's reproductive freedom are brought to justice. The hypocrisy from anti-choice groups who are protesting this investigation is astounding."

Source: UFCW Union press release on 2019 Democratic Primary Apr 13, 2016

  • The above quotations are from Democratic Primary Debates and news coverage during 2019.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Andrew Yang on Abortion.
  • Click here for more quotes by Deval Patrick on Abortion.
2020 Presidential contenders on Abortion:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Dec 11, 2020