State of Maryland Archives: on Abortion


Benjamin Cardin: Expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

Q: What about expanding federal funding for research using embryonic stem cells?

Cardin selected, "Support."

Cardin adds, "Stem cell research has the potential to help scientists make tremendous breakthroughs in medical innovation. I cosponsored legislation to promote stem cell research, and I applauded President Obama's March 2009 Executive Order overturning the Bush Administration's longstanding policy and allowing the responsible use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research.:

Source: Your Candidates Your Health: 2012 Maryland Senate debates

Thomas Perez: Committed to protecting and advancing reproductive rights

Tom is committed to protecting and advancing reproductive rights and justice. At a time when women's rights are under assault and states across the country are repealing women's rights to their own health choices, Tom is committed to ensuring reproductive rights of Marylanders remain protected. Minority and low-income populations are hurt the most when their right to choose goes under attack.
Source: 2021 Maryland Governor campaign website TomPerez.com Jul 18, 2021

Ben Jealous: Supports Planned Parenthood and barrier-free services

Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?

Hogan: Legal. Personally opposes abortion, but declares the subject settled & will not try to change Maryland's laws protecting woman's rights.

Jealous: Legal. "If we increase barriers to abortion & family planning services, women will see their health compromised, & all of our families will suffer."

Contraception: Employers can withhold contraceptive coverage if they disagree?

Hogan: No. Signed expansive birth control insurance bill.

Jealous: No. Criticizes Hogan for leaving out state employees in bill expanding insurance contraception coverage.

Healthcare: Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health care?

Hogan: Unclear. Allowed bill to protect Planned Parenthood health services to go into law without his signature.

Jealous: Yes. Supports Planned Parenthood. Include women's health services as part of Medicare for All.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Maryland Governor race Nov 1, 2018

Larry Hogan: Signed expansive birth control insurance bill

Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?

Hogan: Legal. Personally opposes abortion, but declares the subject settled & will not try to change Maryland's laws protecting woman's rights.

Jealous: Legal. "If we increase barriers to abortion & family planning services, women will see their health compromised, & all of our families will suffer."

Contraception: Employers can withhold contraceptive coverage if they disagree?

Hogan: No. Signed expansive birth control insurance bill.

Jealous: No. Criticizes Hogan for leaving out state employees in bill expanding insurance contraception coverage.

Healthcare: Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health care?

Hogan: Unclear. Allowed bill to protect Planned Parenthood health services to go into law without his signature.

Jealous: Yes. Supports Planned Parenthood. Include women's health services as part of Medicare for All.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Maryland Governor race Nov 1, 2018

Ian Schlakman: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right"?

A: Strongly support

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate Aug 21, 2018

Ben Jealous: Supports legislation protecting Planned Parenthood funding

Ben Jealous released the following statement in reaction to Larry Hogan's refusal to take a position on Donald Trump's potential selection of a Supreme Court Justice and called on Hogan to ensure Maryland's reproductive healthcare laws remain unchanged regardless of what happens at the federal level. Jealous also criticized Hogan's troubling record on reproductive health throughout his career, including refusing to sign legislation that would protect Planned Parenthood funding and prior advocacy for banning abortions even in cases of rape or incest.

Jealous said, "Hogan needs to publicly affirm that he will not take any action to undermine Maryland's law protecting a woman's right to choose. Given Hogan refused to sign legislation protecting Planned Parenthood funding, and his prior advocacy to ban abortions even in cases of rape or incest, we have every reason to be concerned about his commitment to protecting our current laws."

Source: 2018 Maryland Gubernatorial website BenJealous.com Jul 3, 2018

Larry Hogan: 1980: Bar all abortions in county hospitals

Throughout his life, Larry Hogan has been a staunch and vocal opponent of abortion:[From opponent's website]
Source: 2018 Maryland Gubernatorial website BenJealous.com Jul 3, 2018

Richard Madaleno: 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate Jun 1, 2018

Shawn Quinn: Oppose late term abortions; support others

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right"?

A: Support. Oppose late term abortions, support others

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate May 13, 2018

Tony Campbell: Every life matters: against abortion and assisted suicide

Q: What is your position on life issues? (abortion, assisted suicide)

Campbell: I believe Every Life Matters. I am against Abortion and against Assisted Suicide.

Source: RedMaryland.com on 2018 Maryland Senate race Apr 6, 2018

Arvin Vohra: Government has no business being involved in abortion

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right"?

A: Support. I do not support abortion, or consider it a good idea. However, I do not believe the government has any business being involved. While I would personally advise against abortions, I do not support any government restrictions on abortion of any kind.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Senate candidate Mar 30, 2018

Maya Cummings: Emily's List endorsement

Policy consultant Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, one of two women vying to unseat Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), received an endorsement Monday from Emily's List, a political action committee that pushes to elect Democratic female candidates who support abortion rights.
Source: The Washington Post on 2018 Maryland Governor race Oct 30, 2017

Richard Madaleno: Supported Planned Parenthood when Feds tried to cut

We need a governor who will protect reproductive rights without equivocation. When Washington tried to force Planned Parenthood out of business I introduced a new law guaranteeing that Maryland will reimburse Planned Parenthood for the health care services it provides here. This ensured that young people, and especially young women of color, will keep access to primary care, mammograms, cancer screenings, birth control, medical advice, and abortions.
Source: 2018 Maryland Gubernatorial website MadalenoForMaryland.com Aug 8, 2017

Jamie Raskin: Protect women's right to their own healthcare decisions

Protecting Women's Health Choices: In the Senate, Jamie has been a bold leader defending women's health choices and reproductive autonomy, most recently clashing with Senators trying to deny Medicaid funding for medically necessary abortions--a move that was defeated. He is 100% pro-choice and has been an indispensable ally of Maryland NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU, which gave him its Henry Edgerton Civil Liberties Award for his unwavering defense of civil rights and civil liberties. In Congress, he will never back down from a fight to protect women's right to make their own healthcare decisions in consultation with their doctors. Please click here to read all about Jamie's proven record as an effective progressive leader on issues of particular importance to women.
Source: 2016 Maryland House campaign website JamieRaskin.com Nov 8, 2016

Kathy Szeliga: Valuing life begins with the unborn

Source: 2016 Campaign website for Maryland Senate, KathySzeliga.com Nov 11, 2015

Donna Edwards: Fought for abortion rights in community AND in Congress

Van Hollen said that being a straight, white man had not stopped him from standing up for the marginalized. He fought discrimination against gay workers, despite not being gay. He supported abortion rights against a female state senator who did not.

On abortion, Edwards said, there was "not a dime's worth of difference" between her and Van Hollen. But "I started working on these issues long before I started working in Congress," she said.

Source: Wash. Post coverage of 2016 Maryland Senate debate Mar 5, 2015

Larry Hogan: 1980s: ban abortions; 1992: don't overturn pro-choice laws

Half of [Hogan's supporters were] wearing pink Women for Hogan T-shirts--clearly intended as a visual counterpoint to a barrage of television ads from Brown and the Democratic Governors Association that seize on comments Hogan made in the early 1980s to portray him as someone who would seek to restrict access to abortion and birth control.

The Democrats' attack ads are based on Hogan comments from 1980 and 1981 in which he supported a ban on abortions except to save the life of the mother, as well as a "human life amendment" that would have barred abortions while possibly outlawing some forms of birth control. By 1992, Hogan had modified those positions and said abortion should remain legal.

Today Hogan says that he is still personally opposed to abortion, but he pledges he will not try to change Maryland's laws protecting women's rights to the procedure nor to limit access to contraception.

Brown's campaign manager contended , "Hogan just can't be trusted on women's health issues."

Source: Baltimore Sun AdWatch on 2014 Maryland gubernatorial race Oct 1, 2014

Larry Hogan: Personally opposed but no effect since it's legally settled

"This is the most deceitful, most dishonest campaign that I have ever witnessed in my entire life," Hogan told reporters. He then called Brown a liar. "Each of Anthony Brown's campaign ads are completely false, and they are filled with absolute lies," Hogan said. Brown's TV ads zero in on social issues.

Hogan said he personally opposes abortion, but since the matter has been legally settled in Maryland, he will not, as governor, try to roll back the law. "Anthony Brown is running an ad that says that I oppose a women's right to choose, even in the case of rape and incest. That is an absolute lie. It's not my position now, and it's never been my position my entire life. Here are the facts. The facts are nothing will change on abortion with me as governor," Hogan said. "For him to try to scare women by misrepresenting and blatantly lying about me and my position is disgraceful."

Source: WBAL-TV AdWatch on 2014 Maryland gubernatorial race Sep 19, 2014

Dan Bongino: Opposes federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

Q: Do you support or oppose expanding federal funding for research using embryonic stem cells?

Bongino selected, "Oppose."

Source: Your Candidates Your Health: 2012 Maryland Senate debates Jun 15, 2012

Martin O`Malley: $101M for stem cell research over six years

Source: 2012 Maryland State of the State Address Feb 3, 2012

Benjamin Cardin: Support the expansion of embryonic stem cell research

I support the expansion of embryonic stem cell research, I voted to override the president’s veto, a bill that was bipartisan, worked out so that we could advance embryonic stem cell research. Steele supported Bush’s veto in that regard. So there’s a major difference between the two of us on embryonic stem cell research.
Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Benjamin Cardin: Make sure there is no human cloning

We do have a responsibility to make sure there is no cloning. Congress has passed some bills that I have supported that deal with human cloning. That’s not acceptable. That goes beyond the range. But when you’re talking about embryos that are otherwise going to be discarded, the bill that was worked out in Congress, there’s no financial reward to the donors. These are embryos that otherwise are going to be discarded. These are the stem cells that we’re talking about.
Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Benjamin Cardin: Parents should be notified on abortion choices in most cases

Q: Should a parent be notified that his or her daughter is having an abortion?

A: Parents should be involved in the decisions of their children. Absolutely. But there are some families where there has been abuse, there are some families where there’s been neglect, if there is proper protection in the law, then let’s take a look at it.

Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Michael Steele: Support stem cell research that involves no embryonic cells

I do support stem cell research. Where I have drawn the line is federal funding for research that destroys the embryo. And, and I’ve been very much an advocate and supporter of advancing research that will allow us to do the - do what we need to do without destroying that, that embryo.
Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Michael Steele: See embryonic stem cells as lives

Q: Why are you opposed to using embryonic stem cells? Taking of a life?

A: Yes, I see that as a life, and I don’t think that we should use federal funds to do that. 1

Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Michael Steele: Set up adoptions for unwanted embryos

I won’t close down the fertility clinics. We have options there. We could, we could set up adoptions for those, for those embryos. There are so many other options that we can pursue that we don’t. The key thing to keep in here is that science moves us in a certain direction, and it pushes the envelope, as it should. But as a society, we also must, must consider the, the, the religious, the moral, and the ethical values of that society, and that needs to be a part of this as well.
Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Michael Steele: Roe v. Wade should remain in place

Q: Would you hope the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade?

A: My desire is that we follow what stare decisis is at this point.

Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

  • The above quotations are from State of Maryland Politicians: Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2020 Presidential contenders on Abortion:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021