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McAuliffe Says Abortion Is on the Ballot in Virginia

McAuliffe Backs Right to Abortion
RadioIQ
Candidate Terry McAuliffe says November's race for governor is a referendum on abortion.

When Virginia voted, overwhelmingly, for Ralph Northam, observers concluded Democrats were so unhappy with Donald Trump that they turned out in droves. Now, Terry McAuliffe is hoping anxiety about abortion will drive voter turnout as he campaigns for another four years as governor.

“Everyone needs to know that abortion is on the ballot here in Virginia," he told reporters outside a women's health clinic in Charlottesville. "I’m running against a candidate who wants to ban abortions. You have a lieutenant governor candidate, Winsome Sears says on radio the other day, ‘We will bring the Texas law to Virginia, and we need to understand that abortion could end here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is gone in Texas, and it could end here.”

McAuliffe conceded there are more Democrats and independents in this state than Republicans, but in a year when the president is not on the ballot, it will be a challenge to get voters to the polls.

“You know if you look at the history here in Virginia, the Republicans always get about 45%. There are more Democrats and independents who agree with us on the issues, but they need to come out and vote. “

A recent poll showed the candidates for lieutenant governor in a virtual tie, but McAuliffe says he could not work with Republican Winsome Sears.

Sandy Hausman is Radio IQ's Charlottesville Bureau Chief