Monday, former Virginia governor and current gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, accepted an endorsement from National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League Virginia (NARAL).
“I’m proud to be endorsed by [NARAL Virginia],” he said. “With a right-wing Supreme Court ready to hack away at the right to choose and Glenn Youngkin promising to ban abortion, reproductive freedom is at stake in this race. I’ll always fight to protect the right to choose.”
I’m proud to be endorsed by @NARALVirginia. With a right-wing Supreme Court ready to hack away at the right to choose and Glenn Youngkin promising to ban abortion, reproductive freedom is at stake in this race.
I’ll always fight to protect the right to choose. pic.twitter.com/bySHCdytge
— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) July 19, 2021
That group called for defunding the police last summer, when riots gripped America over the death of George Floyd.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Defund the police. Invest in Black communities. Tell Donald Trump to resign,” it said in a tweet at the time.
📣 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Defund the police.
Invest in Black communities.
Tell Donald Trump to resign. #SixNineteen#DefendBlackLives#BlackLivesMatter#DefundPolice pic.twitter.com/OPigc62iS6— REPRO Rising Virginia (@REPRORising_VA) June 21, 2020
The group’s Washington chapter took defunding the police even further.
“NARAL stands with Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County’s statewide policy demands, especially the top priority to defund the police. These policy demands are critical steps towards ending systems of white supremacy and creating equity across communities,” it said last June.
“The call to defund the police is a call for investment in the urgent needs that disproportionately impact Black communities including healthcare access, education, social services, and more,” it continued. “Through investment, we can work to make sure every person, every parent, and every family is able to thrive.”
Some of the other demands to which NARAL Washington signed on include declaring racism a “public health crisis” in the state, ending youth incarceration completely, and allowing currently jailed felons to vote, as well as restoring the voting rights of convicted felons.
The McAuliffe campaign did not respond to a comment request.
“Terry McAuliffe proudly accepted the endorsement an extreme organization which supports taxpayer funded abortion, supports late term abortions, and wants to defund the police,” Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for Republican Glenn Youngkin’s campaign told The Virginia Star. “The majority of Virginians do not support McAuliffe’s extreme pro-abortion and anti-police agenda.”
Youngkin also attacked McAuliffe on Twitter for accepting NARAL’s endorsement.
“Terry McAuliffe thinks abortions the day a baby is due is ‘common sense.’ He couldn’t be more out of step with Virginians,” Youngkin said.
Terry McAuliffe thinks abortions the day a baby is due is "common sense." He couldn't be more out of step with Virginians.
Radical Group That Supports Abortions Up to Birth Endorses Terry McAuliffe for Governorhttps://t.co/Q2pmu2FPoJ
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) July 20, 2021
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo “Virginia Capitol” by Mike Fonseca CC2.0
