One week after reports of SCOTUS’ draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade and days after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed a GOP majority could push for a federal abortion ban, North Carolina Democrats are continuing to slam Republicans for pushing their anti-choice agenda. 

Last week, North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) Chair Bobbie Richardson, North Carolina General Assembly Democrats, and pro-choice advocates held a press conference reaffirming their commitment to protecting safe, legal abortion in North Carolina. 

Yesterday, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), NCDP Chair Bobbie Richardson and local faith leaders held a press conference in support of their commitment to protecting the right to choose and calling out the GOP for attempting to try to frame for decades the anti-abortion movement as a religious one. 

See below for coverage on NC Democrats’ continued efforts to call out the GOP’s latest example of their extreme MAGA agenda and its impact on North Carolinians:

CBS17: NC Rep. Ross speaks out on possible Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade

• Ahead of a vote expected this week on a bill to codify the Roe v. Wade decision into federal law, North Carolina Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross called the potential Supreme Court action “needless and careless.”
•  “When it comes to fundamental rights, I don’t believe the filibuster is an appropriate way to deal with legislating. We need to protect people’s rights,” said Ross, who supported the legislation when it passed the House last year. “We need to make sure that the will of the people controls and not some archaic way of blocking things.”
• She spoke at a press conference Monday with state Democrats and leaders of local churches.

CBS17: What overturning Roe v. Wade would mean for NC

• During a press conference, state Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Durham) said if the GOP wins back the supermajority she expects the legislature to pass bills similar to other Republican-led states.
• “If we do not elect pro-choice Democrats in November, North Carolina will be the next Texas, passing extreme legislation,” she said.

Charlotte Observer: ‘On the ballot like never before’: Supreme Court abortion ruling could alter NC politics

• Democrats already are looking to Raleigh, where they hold enough seats to uphold a veto by Gov. Roy Cooper if the General Assembly passes bills to limit or eliminate access to abortion. But the margins are slim, said Bobbie Richardson, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.
• A veto override in North Carolina requires the votes of three-fifths of the members in each chamber. In the state House, it takes 72 of the 120 members; in the state Senate, it requires 30 of the 50 members. Republicans currently hold 69 seats in the House and 28 seats in the Senate.
• “This is what happens when we do not take responsibility or believe that our votes count, because every election has consequences,” Richardson said. “The consequence of the Trump election is that he was able to appoint three judges to the Supreme Court. Had that election turned out differently, this decision might not be hanging over our heads.”

Spectrum News: Potential Roe v. Wade ruling puts sharp focus on N.C. midterm elections

• “To be clear, if we do not elect pro-choice Democrats in November, North Carolina will be the next Texas, passing extreme legislation that will roll back reproductive rights, justice and abortion access,” Murdock said.
• “The battle for abortion rights will end with the states. We now know that we cannot depend on the Supreme Court to have our backs, it’s up to us,” she said.

Winston-Salem Journal: “The right to choose should be protected.’ Abortion rights supporters demonstrate in Winston-Salem after leaked draft court opinion.

• At a Raleigh news conference, Bobbie Richardson, the chairwoman of the N.C. Democratic Party, said that voters must elect Democrats to protect women’s abortion rights.
• “To be clear, this is a draft opinion,” Richardson said. “It is not the final word yet. Abortion is still safe and legal in North Carolina.”
• However, Richardson said, if the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade, that decision would be “devastating for the millions of people across North Carolina, whose abortion access and control over their bodies now hang in the balance.”
• The draft opinion reflects anti-abortion group’s plant to ban abortions across the United States, Richardson said.
• “Make no mistake, North Carolina Democrats will continue to fight like hell to protect the rights to access safe, legal abortion,” Richardson said.

WRAL: Abortion takes on heightened political importance as NC primary nears

• North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson said in a statement that the draft opinion could be “devastating for the millions” of residents and urged voters to elect Democrats.
• “There is only one way to protect our reproductive freedom and ensure everyone has the right to make their own health care decisions– elect Democrats up and down the ballot,” Richardson said. 

ABC11: Roe v. Wade: Political Impact
“Make no mistake: North Carolina Democrats will continue to fight like hell to protect the right to access safe, legal abortion.”

ABC11: Democrats Reaffirm Support for Roe v. Wade
“Congresswoman Deborah Ross joining Democratic state lawmakers reaffirming their commitment to abortion rgihts. The news conference follows the unprecedented leaked draft Supreme Court opinion suggesting that Roe v. Wade might be overturned.”

CBS17: Roe v. Wade Vote Expected This Week
“I talked with Democratic Congresswoman Deborah Ross about that today and she called the potential decision to overturn in her words ‘needless’ and ‘careless’. Earlier today she spoke about the leaked draft opinion along with some leaders of local churches and members of the Democratic Party.” 

WAVY: NC Democrats Push for Federal Abortion Protection
“Some North Carolina Democrats are pushing Congress to act… ‘We need to make sure that the will of the people controls and not some archaic way of blocking things.”

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