Democrat Hunt draws contrast on abortion with Republican Weatherman in race for NC Lt Gov

The race to be the next lieutenant governor of North Carolina is finally underway, two months after other statewide races were decided in the primary.

Republicans had a runoff election Tuesday and chose Hal Weatherman as their nominee for lieutenant governor, running against Democratic state Sen. Rachel Hunt.

The day after the runoff, Hunt framed the contest in terms of abortion rights, and what she would do compared to Weatherman, who is endorsed by current Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor.

Hunt, who is serving out her term in the Senate, filed Senate Bill 909, “Protect Women’s Healthcare,” which would amend the North Carolina Constitution. The amendment says the state “shall not restrict a woman’s right to decide to have an abortion.”

“Additionally,” the amendment says, “the State shall not restrict access to contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one’s own pregnancy, or miscarriage care. The State may restrict the ability of a woman to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability, unless such a termination is necessary to preserve the life or health of the woman, or enact laws, rules, or regulations, as applicable, to further the health or safety of a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy.”

Status of amendment, legislation on abortion

The bill doesn’t have much of a chance of moving ahead, as the state constitution requires a three-fifths majority, or supermajority, in both the House and the Senate to pass a bill putting an amendment on ballots for voters to decide whether or not to ratify it. Republicans have a supermajority in both chambers of the General Assembly.

Republicans worked out a compromise among themselves last year to pass a law banning abortion, with exceptions, after 12 weeks’ gestation. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill, but the Republican supermajority overturned his veto. Republican leaders have said repeatedly that they do not want to pass new abortion legislation this session.

All 170 state lawmakers are on ballots this fall.

“For years, we have seen (Republicans’) attempts both in North Carolina and across the country to try to restrict our access to abortion at all costs. Decisions around pregnancy, including abortion, birth control and miscarriage care are personal and should be left up to women and their families,” Hunt said.

Depending on the makeup of the General Assembly for the 2025 session, if a new abortion bill passes the General Assembly, it would go to a new governor to sign or veto: Robinson or Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democrats’ nominee for governor.

Both Robinson and Weatherman say they want to see a “heartbeat” bill pass the legislature, which would ban abortion after cardiac activity is detected, which is around five or six weeks into pregnancy.

The role of the lieutenant governor is to preside over the Senate, but she or he would only vote to break a tie.

On Weatherman’s campaign website, describes himself as pro-life and says he will advocate the General Assembly for a “heartbeat” bill.

He said if he wins, he will also “work to streamline the cumbersome adoption process and push for tax breaks and financial resources for families who adopt. I will support emergency pregnancy health clinics where love and compassion can be shown to women in a time of crisis.”

Hunt is worried that North Carolina could end up like other states, which have stricter abortion laws.

“This is about women’s fundamental health care rights. It’s about women’s rights, and it goes way beyond abortion,” she said. “This is your rights while you’re pregnant. I have been pregnant. I have two children. I had some issues while I was pregnant. I cannot imagine not being able to get care because you’re afraid, or the doctors are afraid, and they leave you to bleed out in the parking lot.”

NC lieutenant governor campaigning

Weatherman told The News & Observer in an interview before the runoff that he plans to run a “compare and contrast,” but not negative campaign against Hunt. He plans to campaign in all 100 counties, as he did in the primary, he said.

“We will force our opponent to compete for every ounce of ground in the state, every county, and I think that clearly there’s going to be some some worldview differences, cultural differences, value differences, belief differences between Rachel and me,” Weatherman said.