Fundamental freedoms are being decided by the states, and electing champions of reproductive care has never been more important to stop the MAGA agenda
WASHINGTON — This morning, Donald Trump doubled down on his promise to leave “everything up to the states,” suggesting he would allow states to have different policies on birth control and emergency contraception bans. When a local Pittsburgh station asked Trump if he would support restrictions around contraception, he said, “Things really do have a lot to do with the states and some states are gonna have different policies than others.”
The stakes for the 2024 state legislative elections are already sky-high – Trump has already said he would let red states handle every aspect of reproductive freedom, including monitoring pregnancies, prosecuting women who get abortions, and allowing states to consider fetal personhood legislation that threatens reproductive care like IVF. Republicans in Oklahoma, Arizona, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Missouri have already taken action that threatens or prevents protections for birth control accessibility, and more GOP-led states could be empowered to pass sweeping bans on contraception with Trump’s stamp of approval. By contrast, twelve Democratic-led states have passed legal protections for birth control, demonstrating the impact of Democratic power in the states. Contraceptives are safe and effective and have been used by 90 percent of women in America.
The stakes of state legislative races have never been higher – electing Democratic majorities to state legislatures is the only path to protect the full spectrum of reproductive freedoms.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Sam Paisley issued the following statement:
“In 2024, the battle for power in the states has never been more crucial. Donald Trump has repeatedly promised that state Republicans will have a blank check to pass extreme laws attacking every facet of reproductive care, from undermining contraception and birth control access to denying abortion care. To fully stop Trump’s MAGA agenda, we must invest in building Democratic power in the states.
“State elections this year will determine the future of reproductive rights, and it has never been more important to elect Democratic majorities to state legislatures who will champion our rights, not legislate them away. This is our best defense against MAGA extremists hellbent on dragging states into the past. The DLCC is rallying to build Democratic power across the country, especially as we reach this crisis point around the fight for fundamental freedoms. It is no exaggeration to say this is the most important year in state legislative history.”
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures and building state infrastructure. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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