By Dave Andrusko
The Commonwealth of Virginia is one of two states—New Jersey is the other—which has statewide elections in odd numbered years. New Jersey is soundly blue while Virginia is “purple”—trending Democrat.
And, in this instance, because the elections are the first since the 2020 presidential elections, disproportionate attention is paid to the results, particularly in Virginia. As the Los Angeles Times’ Janet Hook wrote, “Virginia provides the first big test of strength between parties since Biden was elected, and it could set the tone for the 2022 midterm election.”
To no one’s surprise, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia PAC on Monday endorsed Terry McAuliffe for governor and incumbent Mark Herring for Attorney General. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia previously endorsed Hala Ayala for Lt. Governor. This is a resolutely, unabashedly pro-abortion team.
Pro-abortion current governor Ralph Northam—the pediatric neurologist who said treatment for abortion survivors is up to the abortionist and the mother—cannot run for a second consecutive term under Virginia law. You can run again; McAuliffe was governor from 2014-2018.
His pro-life opponent is businessman Glenn Youngkin (R).
“Glen Youngkin is ready to prevent tax payer dollars from paying for abortions in Virginia and he wants to protect unborn babies who can feel pain in the womb,” said Olivia Gans Turner, president of the Virginia Society for Human Life. “That separates him by leaps and bounds from the radical pro-abortion Terry McAuliffe.”
NARAL sees that same stark difference.
“Terry McAuliffe promised to stand as a brick wall to attacks on abortion access during his first term as governor, and we know he will do that again in his second term,” said NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Executive Director Tarina Keene. “Hopefully, this time around, he won’t just stop bad legislation from becoming law. He will be able to prioritize and sign proactive laws that actually increase access to the full range of reproductive healthcare.” She added, “We know we have a solid reproductive freedom ally and partner in Terry McAuliffe.”
As for Herring, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia praised him as an AG who “has stood up for patients and abortion providers multiple times during his eight years in office and helped mitigate the impact of some of the worst reproductive healthcare restrictions passed in 2011.”