This week a column with advice for soon to be former Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Leading with abortion as a campaign issue may backfire in a year when cost of living and public safety are top of mind for most voters. Ferguson’s position on abortion is either nearly identical to Dave Reichert’s or else Ferguson holds a position fitting the definition of a dangerous extremist.
REFERENCE LINKS:
Original column: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/aug/22/sue-lani-madsen-democrats-may-regret-focusing-on-a/
Ayaan Hirsi Ali column: The Abortion Election: Democrats are Dangerous Extremists
“Abortion is a very divisive issue on which intelligent people of good will vociferously disagree. However, only a tiny fragment of the population, mostly housed in the identity politics sections of academia, think that abortions should be legal up to or even past birth. Yes—past birth. And yet, these post-birth abortions have been legalized by several blue states, including, recently, in [Gov.] Tim Walz’s Minnesota.”
On Parents’ Choices for Treating Premature Infants: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/premature-babies-hospitals-pregnancy-fa1f091f?st=zpksszrew5n5p3g&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Level 4 NICU treatment available in Spokane: https://www.providence.org/locations/wa/sacred-heart-childrens-hospital/neonatal-intensive-care#tabcontent-1-pane-2
Top issue for voters is cost of living: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/poll-finds-big-divide-in-top-issue-for-wa-democrats-and-republicans/
Notre Dame Study on nuanced attitudes towards abortion:
Abortion law in Washington: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/sexual-and-reproductive-health/abortion
Abortion as celebrated at the DNC: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/08/19/planned-parenthood-free-emergency-contraceptive-abortion-vasectomies-dnc/74855652007/
Reichert campaign letter to KING-TV: https://www.reichertforgovernor.com/wp-content/uploads/Reichert-Letter-to-KING-TV-Re-Ferguson-Advertisement.pdf
Background on the candidates positions: https://southeastpolitics.com/washington-states-bob-ferguson-is-tapping-the-abortion-playbook-in-governors-race-but-hes-not-telling-the-whole-story/
Statements from the two campaigns:
Bob Ferguson: https://www.bobferguson.com/issues/fighting-for-reproductive-freedom
“Bob is leading the fight to ensure Washingtonians have access to safe abortions and the critical drug mifepristone. He championed the My Health, My Data Act into law – the strongest health data privacy protections in the country. When Donald Trump attacked contraception access, Bob took him to court and won. Bob led the legal fight to block President Trump’s family planning “gag rule.” He is protecting the right to bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.”
Dave Reichert: https://www.reichertforgovernor.com/uncategorized/icmyi-ferguson-called-out-for-misleading-voters-on-abortion/
Referring to the news story Southeast Politics (see link above labeled background information on candidate positions): In addition to pointing out Reichert’s votes did not do what Ferguson is telling voters, it also notes that by Bob’s definition of “ban,” he too supports a “ban” on abortion. Washington law limits abortions at the point of viability, which as the letter sent notes is generally considered to be at 23 weeks of pregnancy.
Since Ferguson has stated he supports Washington law, he supports a “ban” on abortion in the second trimester.
Share this post