2021 VA Governor's race: on Abortion


Jennifer Carroll Foy: Remove politically motivated restrictions on abortion

As a Delegate, I:
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign site JenniferCarrollFoy.com Feb 21, 2021

Jennifer McClellan: Led fight for Reproductive Health Protection Act

As the first member of the House of Delegates to be pregnant while in office, she has been a fierce advocate for protecting access to reproductive care and led the fight in the Senate to pass the Reproductive Health Protection Act.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website JennMcClellanVA.com Feb 18, 2021

Kirk Cox: Led fight against late term abortion legislation

During his time as Speaker, Virginia cut taxes by $1.2 billion, froze tuition at colleges and universities for the first time in 20 years, eliminated all state funding for Planned Parenthood, and held back far-left proposals on gun control and abortion. While Kirk was Speaker, Democrats introduced legislation to make abortion legal up until the moment of birth. Kirk spoke passionately on the floor of the House of Delegates and the bill was defeated under his leadership.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website KirkCox.com Feb 19, 2021

Terry McAuliffe: Permanently codify protections of Roe v. Wade

Terry will continue fighting for progressive policies to advance women's rights and gender equality. First and foremost, that means passing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that permanently enshrines and codifies the protections of Roe v Wade in Virginia law. Terry will continue to address disparities in women's health care coverage, ensuring access to quality prenatal care to improve outcomes and address maternal mortality, which disproportionately impacts Black and Brown mothers.
Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website Terry McAuliffe.com Dec 22, 2020

Jennifer McClellan: Fight to protect, strengthen reproductive health continues

On the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Virginia Senate passed my bill to remove the ban on abortion coverage for plans on the health exchange. We have made tremendous progress and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. But the fight to protect and strengthen reproductive health continues. 48 years after Roe v. Wade, I am proud to stand with so many advocates to protect these essential freedoms.
Source: August Free Press on 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race Jan 22, 2021

Glenn Youngkin: Court lets each state make its own decision on abortion

V.P. KAMALA HARRIS: You don't have to agree that you want to or would advocate that you or a loved one would have an abortion to agree that the government should not be making that decision for any individual woman.

GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN: I believe, as a pro-life governor, that life begins at conception. My job as a pro-life governor in a state in Virginia, where, 18 months ago, the debate in our General Assembly was around whether abortion should be allowed all the way up through and including birth, funded by taxpayer money. The Supreme Court's decision, I agree with, that this is a decision for states to make by elected officials by the citizens of Virginia. And each state will decide something different. I think that's the real value of the Supreme Court's decision.

Source: CBS Face the Nation on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Jul 10, 2022

Glenn Youngkin: Virginians elected a pro-life governor; I've been very clear

Virginians elected a pro-life governor, and I have been very clear. I'm pro-life. I do believe in exceptions, in the case of rape and incest and when the life of the mother is at risk. In this case, where Virginia was just 22 months ago was debating on our General Assembly floor that, in fact, abortion should be extended all the way up through and including childbirth, and paid for with taxpayer money. I have said all along that I disagree with this. And that is extreme. That is really extreme.
Source: CNN SOTU interviews on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Oct 9, 2022

Amanda Chase: How can any human being in good conscience kill a baby?

The race in the senate's 11th district pits Democratic candidate Amanda Pohl against state Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield), who NARAL's Keene described as a "Trumpster vehemently opposed to reproductive freedom." Chase, who reportedly once called rape survivors "naive and unprepared" in a Facebook post, delivered incendiary remarks on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in January, asking, "How can any human being in good conscience kill a baby and call it good?"
Source: Rewire News on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Nov 1, 2019

Terry McAuliffe: Vetoed anti-abortion laws; honored by Virginia NARAL

To be fair to McAuliffe, he has many admirers--he left the governor's office with overwhelming approval--as well as civil rights and women's rights bona fides. Near the end of his term, he moved to restore voting rights to 173,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians. He was such a reliable defender of reproductive rights, vetoing ugly GOP anti-abortion laws, that NARAL Pro Choice Virginia gave him its 2017 "Brick Wall" award.
Source: The Nation newsmagazine on 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race Dec 11, 2020

Glenn Youngkin: Protect the life of every Virginia child born and unborn

Youngkin vowed, as he pursued the GOP nomination for Virginia governor, to steadfastly oppose abortion and roll back restrictions on gun rights. "We will protect the Second Amendment and our right to keep and bear arms," he told a cheering crowd on May 11, the night he was crowned the nominee. "Friends, together, all of us, we will protect the life of every Virginia child born and unborn."
Source: Washington Post on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race May 26, 2021

Glenn Youngkin: My religion teaches me protect life before and after

birth On abortion, he told Breitbart News Daily, "I'm pro-life, and what my religious foundation in the cornerstone of my life teaches me is to protect life before birth and after birth."

"These are not squishy issues.

Source: Washington Post on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race May 26, 2021

Glenn Youngkin: Plans to limit his comments about abortion

Republican candidate for governor Glenn Youngkin is on the campaign trail talking to voters. But, he's not answering questions about one hot-button issue. Youngkin declined to answer questions about his position on restoring restrictions aimed at limitin
Source: WVTF Virginia Public Radio on 2021 Virginia Governor race Jul 14, 2021

  • The above quotations are from 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Terry McAuliffe on Abortion.
Candidates and political leaders on Abortion:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023