Where do North Carolina’s candidates for governor stand on abortion 1 year after lawmakers overrode veto to pass law?
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(WGHP) — One year ago, the North Carolina legislature voted to override the governor’s veto of a law that made abortion illegal after 12 weeks except in the case of certain medical emergencies.
Senate Bill 20, the “Care for Women Children and Families Act,” was pushed through within 48 hours of being revealed. The NC Senate voted, 29-20, on May 4, after several hours of debate. This was less than 24 hours after the House voted, 71-46.
The bill was initially vetoed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper after passing the House and Senate in May 2023. However, due to the Republican majority, the veto was overridden on May 16, 2023.
While abortion isn’t on the ballot in November, abortion has remained a hot topic as the election season heats up across the state and more broadly across the United States, and polling shows that it’s an issue that voters are paying attention to. Here in North Carolina, it seems as though all eyes are on the gubernatorial race. With less than six months until the general election, candidates are reaffirming their positions on this crucial issue.
Mark Robinson (Republican)
Robinson’s Communications Director Mike Lonergan provided the following statement to mark the anniversary of the veto override, reaffirming his support for a near-total abortion ban:
“Biden, Stein and the Democrats are recycling their same old playbook they used in 2022. It failed then and it will fail now. North Carolina voters don’t support the Biden-Stein agenda of taxpayer-funded, late-term abortion on-demand. That’s extreme and out of step with our state’s values.
“Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is pro-life because of the painful and difficult experience he and his wife had, and his faith. He’s said that as governor he would sign a heartbeat bill with exceptions for rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in danger. Lt. Gov. Robinson also wants to turn North Carolina into a destination state for life by doing more to support women that choose life; like improving our foster-care and adoption systems; and preserving access to IVF.”
Robinson has a long history of speaking out against abortion using language that has drawn shock and criticism from his opponents. During his campaign for lieutenant governor, in 2019, Robinson referred to the governor as “Roy ‘infant killer’ Cooper.”
On multiple occasions, Robinson has referred to abortion as a “sacrifice” to “Baal,” an ancient Canaanite-Phoenician fertility god. Baal, in Jeremiah 19:5 of the Old Testament, is associated with the idea of burning children as an offering. In 2019, Robinson wrote, “While the racially blinded are pulling down statues of dead men, the wicked are busy erecting temples to baal in which they will sacrifice the living in the womb.” More recently, in 2021, he called on the public to “stop sacrificing your children to Baal and start honoring the fruit of your womb.”
During his gubernatorial campaign, Robinson’s rhetoric on social issues, including abortion, has moved away from some of his more bombastic past comments. At a rally earlier in the year, Robinson said that he did not feel the need to continue talking about certain issues due to the progress that North Carolina lawmakers had made.
Mike Ross (Libertarian)
Libertarian candidate Mike Ross states on his website that he believes that “government interference” stifles the free market when it comes to healthcare, but he does not address abortion directly.
“The government must be removed from the doctor-patient relationship. We will end unnecessary regulations and endless bureaucracy that drives up healthcare costs and results in subpar outcomes. Ending certificate of need, ending prescription import restrictions, and requiring medical billing transparency are essential to freeing the market to better serve North Carolinians.”
Ross did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the issue.
Josh Stein (Democrat)
To note the anniversary, the attorney general released the following statement:
“Today marks the anniversary of a devastating loss of freedom, protection, and access to health care for women across North Carolina. The Republican General Assembly’s abortion ban puts critical reproductive health care out of reach for many women, particularly those who live in rural areas, and it interferes with doctors’ ability to make sound, medical decisions for their patients.
“Unfortunately, it only represents the beginning of what Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson wants for our state: a total abortion ban with no exceptions. As Governor, I will continue to defend women’s reproductive freedoms, whether it’s access to contraception, IVF, or abortion. These are deeply personal decisions that should be made by a woman and her doctor – not by a bunch of politicians in Raleigh, certainly not by Mark Robinson.”
Stein touted an endorsement from Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit healthcare provider that focuses on sexual and reproductive health and offers abortion services, drawing criticism from his opponent’s team. In a post on X, Lonergan highlighted Planned Parenthood’s support of the “Defund the Police” movement. Stein has not publicly backed the “Defund the Police” movement. When asked about the movement in 2020, Stein told North Carolina State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues, “The real challenge is to reimagine public safety. … We should invest more to pay officers a decent wage to make it an attractive job for public-spirited people.”
Planned Parenthood has recently announced a plan to spend millions in North Carolina ahead of the election, with The Hill reporting that the “political arm of Planned Parenthood is launching a $10 million voter engagement campaign in North Carolina to elect candidates in favor of abortion rights this year as reproductive rights surge further into the 2024 spotlight.”
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