Rights and Democracy New Hampshire is calling on Kelly Ayotte to come clean about her extreme stance on reproductive rights. While Ayotte now claims to support a woman’s right to choose, her political record tells a very different story. Throughout her career, she has consistently taken positions that oppose women’s reproductive freedoms, voting for measures that would strip away essential healthcare and access to safe abortions.
The Flip: Campaigning for Choice
In her latest attempt to appeal to voters, Ayotte stated, “I fully support and will protect a woman’s right to freedom to obtain an abortion up to six months of pregnancy” during an interview with WMUR. This is a stark departure from her long-standing, staunch anti-abortion record. Her claim of support for abortion rights directly contradicts her previous legislative actions and public statements.
The Flop: A Career of Opposition to Reproductive Rights
As recently as 2015, Ayotte said, “I’m the only pro-life woman in the Senate”, a position she has backed with her voting record. She repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood, one of the largest providers of reproductive healthcare for women, and co-sponsored an amendment allowing employers to deny coverage for contraception. Furthermore, she supported a national abortion ban at 20 weeks, which is more restrictive than New Hampshire’s current law.
Ayotte’s role in overturning Roe v. Wade also cannot be ignored. She led the Trump administration’s effort to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, a justice whose vote was instrumental in dismantling 50 years of legal protection for abortion rights. Her leadership in this process helped pave the way for the ruling that has left millions of women without access to safe, legal abortions.
Danger in a Post-Roe World
In a post-Roe world, Ayotte’s extreme anti-abortion agenda is even more dangerous. Her support for criminalizing abortion providers and restricting access to contraception reveals her true stance: Ayotte does not trust women to make decisions about their own bodies. Every chance she had in the Senate, she voted to make reproductive healthcare less accessible, endangering the health and freedom of women in New Hampshire and across the country.
Holding Ayotte Accountable
Kelly Ayotte’s recent attempts to soften her stance on abortion are an obvious political maneuver, but the people of New Hampshire deserve honesty. We cannot trust a politician who has spent her career fighting against reproductive rights to suddenly protect them. Ayotte must be held accountable for her long-standing opposition to women’s healthcare. It’s time to #StopTheFlipFlop and demand transparency and consistency from our leaders. Let’s ensure that New Hampshire continues to protect a woman’s right to choose.
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