WASHINGTON — Virginia Republicans have tried to erase their abortion positions from their websites because they are too extreme for Virginia. Following the Republican primary, several candidates for the House of Delegates began scrubbing their abortion positions from their websites. Republicans have been clear that if they gain a majority in the legislature, they’ll ban abortion and defund Planned Parenthood. Up and down the ballot in Virginia, GOP candidates have committed to opposing reproductive rights if elected.
“Given the chance, Republicans would drag Virginia backward and ban abortion,” said DLCC President Jessica Post. “Since gaining the majority, Democrats have delivered on promises and built a commonwealth for everyone. They are putting in the work to ensure all Virginians have access to quality health care, helping students safely return to schools, and protecting reproductive rights. At the end of the day, Republicans know that they are too extreme for working families across Virginia and they would rather hypocritically hide their positions than face the voters.”
The Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, purged anti-abortion positions from her website following Supreme Court’s decision not to block the Texas law that effectively overturned Roe v. Wade. Republican House of Delegates candidates Steve Pleickhardt, Mike Cherry, and Mark Earley Jr. are all hiding their positions on abortion and guns from voters, with each candidate removing their positions on abortion and guns from their campaign websites:
- Steve Pleickhardt’s site previously said he believed life “begins at conception” and that he supported “the right to bear arms.” https://dlcc.org/Pleickhardt
- Mike Cherry’s website previously claimed he was “unapologetically pro-life” and said he opposed gun safety laws. https://dlcc.org/Cherry
- Mark Earley Jr.’s website previously said he was “pro-life” and that every human life was sacred, including “the child in the womb.” Earley’s site also urged the government to protect the right to bear arms. https://dlcc.org/Earley
- Winsome Sears also used to have her anti-abortion position front and center, calling abortion “murder” and saying, “The baby in the womb wants to live!” That issue is no longer on the website. https://dlcc.org/Sears
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