Tipsheet

McAuliffe Campaign Is Not Even Subtle About Pro-Abortion Position

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  September 10, 2021 4:00 PM

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) who is running again to be the governor of Virginia, has spent considerable attention on the abortion issue. He has released ads attacking his Republican opponent, Glenn Youngkin, on this issue. McAuliffe also similarly tweets about abortion. 

Meanwhile, McAuliffe's own record on the issue is worth highlighting, as Townhall did in July. 

Since then, he has only continued to tweet about abortion, as well as tout endorsements from pro-abortion groups. One such group that has endorsed him, NARAL Pro-Choice, is not only extreme on the abortion issue, but it supports defunding the police.

On Tuesday, McAuliffe held a press event in Richmond to speak about the issue. That day there was some chatter over Twitter that conservative outlets had been denied access. 

While they were eventually provided the necessary information, it was too late for the Daily Caller News Foundation to be able to attend, as tweeted by Mary Margaret Olohan, the social issues reporter for the outlet.

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Olohan nevertheless reported on McAuliffe's abortion stance on Tuesday, which included comment from Youngkin:

“I’m pro-life. I’ve said it from the beginning of the campaign,” Youngkin told the Daily Caller News Foundation Tuesday. “I’m pro-life.” 

“I believe in exceptions in the case of rape, and in case of incest, in case the mother’s life is in jeopardy,” he continued. “I’m most focused on making sure that Terry McAuliffe’s extreme agenda, which promotes abortion, all the way up through and including birth, is not part of Virginia’s future.”

Olohan referenced McAuliffe comments in a piece from Michael Pope for WVTF.

As Pope wrote:

Former Governor Terry McAuliffe says he would be a brick wall against anything threatening reproductive freedom.

I asked him if there are any boundaries that he could see for restrictions on any kind of abortion? "Terry McAuliffe as governor, as I was before, will be a brick wall to protect women's individual rights to make their own decisions about their own reproductive health care," McAuliffe responded.

McAuliffe opposes the ultrasound requirement, and he’s against the 24-hour waiting period. As governor he helped overturn the hospital construction standards for abortion clinics. When he was in office, none of Virginia’s 16 abortion clinics closed their doors.

And he says the idea that Youngkin won't tell voters what his policy positions are on those issues is outrageous. "I got to tell you, Michael, I've been in politics a long time. It sickens my stomach that a politician will not tell the voters the truth. Terry McAuliffe will tell you straight the way I feel about issues, and I never will tell you something I wouldn't tell someone else.”

McAuliffe has used that "brick wall" line countless times, both during the 2013 campaign and now in 2021, for the primary and general election. This includes campaign ads, countless tweets, and his campaign website; his section on "Protecting Women's Rights and Ensuring Gender Equality" focuses almost entirely on his pro-abortion position. 

A tweet from Christina Freundlich, a spokesperson for the McAuliffe campaign, also gloated about the Democrat's position.

On Thursday, McAuliffe campaigned at Whole Woman's Health in Charlottesville, an abortion facility which performs abortions until 16 weeks of pregnancy. 

Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter told Townhall that "Terry McAuliffe is pushing his own extreme, pro-abortion extreme agenda which advocates for abortion all the way up through and including birth because he is trying to hide from his failed record and key issues in Virginia. McAuliffe will be the Abortion Governor, whose sole focus would be to make abortion available anytime and anywhere in Virginia. Youngkin will be the Jobs Governor that is focused on delivering for Virginians and making the Commonwealth the best place to live, work, and raise a family."