HASSAN RECEIVES MAJOR ENDORSEMENT. With the abortion issue at the heart of major partisan and ideological battles in New Hampshire and across the country, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the political arm of the nationwide reproductive rights organization, is including Sen. Maggie Hassan in its initial round of 10 U.S. Senate endorsements.While the group has previously endorsed Hassan in her campaigns, the early blessing sends a signal that the influential group will play heavily in the Granite State as the former governor seeks a second term in the Senate.And nearly each day brings a stronger indication that her challenger may well be Republican Gov. Chris Sununu.In New Hampshire, abortion has become a high-profile political dividing line in recent months. In June, Republican state lawmakers passed as part of a budget trailer bill, and Sununu signed, a 24-week abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest or fatal fetal anomalies and a requirement that pregnant women receive an ultrasound.The law also says that any health care provider “who knowingly performs or induces an abortion in violation of this subdivision and knows that the fetus has a gestational age of at least 24 weeks, or consciously disregards a substantial risk that the fetus has a gestational age of at least 24 weeks, shall be guilty of a class B felony,” which is punishable by imprisonment of one to seven years.In September, the GOP-controlled Executive Council defunded Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and several other family planning centers that either perform abortions or make referrals.Those votes came over the Sununu’s objections. But Democrats have continued to blame him for bringing the contracts forward when it appeared that they would be voted down and for not exerting more pressure on Republican councilors to pass them.Democrats have also noted that as an executive councilor, Sununu voted to defund PPNNE in 2015 – but do not mention that the following year, he voted to restore funding.Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill praised Hassan as “a steadfast champion for reproductive rights and said her reelection “is of paramount importance in the fight to defend and expand access to reproductive health care.“As states across the country threaten access to basic care, reelecting Senator Hassan will be a critical step in protecting reproductive rights and health,” McGill said.Hassan said: “Planned Parenthood health centers provide comprehensive preventive care and family planning services that enable Granite Staters to stay healthy and thrive. During my career in public service, I have always stood up for critical funding of family planning providers and for a woman’s fundamental right to make her own personal, private medical decisions.”Reproductive rights are on the line like never before, with politicians in Concord stripping funding for Planned Parenthood health centers and passing an abortion ban. I am proud to receive the Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsement and to work together to expand, defend, and protect the right of Granite Staters and all women to control their own destiny.”In addition to Hassan, Planned Parenthood Action Fund is endorsing three other Democratic incumbents who are in highly competitive races – Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada – as well as challengers Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Charles Schumer of New York.In addition, the action fund is backing challengers Charles Booker in Kentucky and Cheri Beasley in North Carolina.The Hassan campaign noted that in the Senate, Hassan has pushed to protect Title X funding for family planning clinics and to lift the domestic “gag rule” put in place by the Trump administration, which barred reproductive health care providers that received Title X funds from referring patients to abortion providers.“And after the Executive Council defunded family planning clinics last month, she pushed the Department of Health and Human Services to provide supplemental grants to health care clinics hurt by the decision to ensure Granite Staters’ continued to receive affordable primary and preventive care,” the Hassan campaign said.
HASSAN RECEIVES MAJOR ENDORSEMENT. With the abortion issue at the heart of major partisan and ideological battles in New Hampshire and across the country, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the political arm of the nationwide reproductive rights organization, is including Sen. Maggie Hassan in its initial round of 10 U.S. Senate endorsements.
While the group has previously endorsed Hassan in her campaigns, the early blessing sends a signal that the influential group will play heavily in the Granite State as the former governor seeks a second term in the Senate.
And nearly each day brings a stronger indication that her challenger may well be Republican Gov. Chris Sununu.
In New Hampshire, abortion has become a high-profile political dividing line in recent months. In June, Republican state lawmakers passed as part of a budget trailer bill, and Sununu signed, a 24-week abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest or fatal fetal anomalies and a requirement that pregnant women receive an ultrasound.
The law also says that any health care provider “who knowingly performs or induces an abortion in violation of this subdivision and knows that the fetus has a gestational age of at least 24 weeks, or consciously disregards a substantial risk that the fetus has a gestational age of at least 24 weeks, shall be guilty of a class B felony,” which is punishable by imprisonment of one to seven years.
In September, the GOP-controlled Executive Council defunded Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and several other family planning centers that either perform abortions or make referrals.
Those votes came over the Sununu’s objections. But Democrats have continued to blame him for bringing the contracts forward when it appeared that they would be voted down and for not exerting more pressure on Republican councilors to pass them.
Democrats have also noted that as an executive councilor, Sununu voted to defund PPNNE in 2015 – but do not mention that the following year, he voted to restore funding.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill praised Hassan as “a steadfast champion for reproductive rights and said her reelection “is of paramount importance in the fight to defend and expand access to reproductive health care.
“As states across the country threaten access to basic care, reelecting Senator Hassan will be a critical step in protecting reproductive rights and health,” McGill said.
Hassan said: “Planned Parenthood health centers provide comprehensive preventive care and family planning services that enable Granite Staters to stay healthy and thrive. During my career in public service, I have always stood up for critical funding of family planning providers and for a woman’s fundamental right to make her own personal, private medical decisions.
“Reproductive rights are on the line like never before, with politicians in Concord stripping funding for Planned Parenthood health centers and passing an abortion ban. I am proud to receive the Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsement and to work together to expand, defend, and protect the right of Granite Staters and all women to control their own destiny.”
In addition to Hassan, Planned Parenthood Action Fund is endorsing three other Democratic incumbents who are in highly competitive races – Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada – as well as challengers Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Charles Schumer of New York.
In addition, the action fund is backing challengers Charles Booker in Kentucky and Cheri Beasley in North Carolina.
The Hassan campaign noted that in the Senate, Hassan has pushed to protect Title X funding for family planning clinics and to lift the domestic “gag rule” put in place by the Trump administration, which barred reproductive health care providers that received Title X funds from referring patients to abortion providers.
“And after the Executive Council defunded family planning clinics last month, she pushed the Department of Health and Human Services to provide supplemental grants to health care clinics hurt by the decision to ensure Granite Staters’ continued to receive affordable primary and preventive care,” the Hassan campaign said.
