WHAT GEORGIANS ARE SEEING: Georgia Democrats, Pro-Choice Leaders Call out Georgia Republicans’ Dangerous Anti-Choice Agenda All Across the State

This week, Georgians all across the state are hearing from local Democrats and pro-choice leaders as they condemn Georgia Republicans for their dangerous, unpopular anti-choice agenda, and outline the stakes of the midterm election in light of Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Hours after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Gov. Brian Kemp pushed the federal court that originally blocked his extreme six-week abortion ban to make it the law of the land in Georgia. Now, Kemp, GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker, and Republicans across the state are pushing to go even further and fully outlaw abortion. In the Senate, Walker would support a nationwide ban without exceptions.

Republican candidates across Georgia support the six-week ban, but also want to go further to make abortion totally illegal. Kemp, Walker, and Georgia GOP candidates’ positions are out of step with Georgia voters. 68% of Georgians, per an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll from January, oppose the overturning of Roe v. Wade and do not support a six-week ban or further restrictions. Here’s what Georgians are seeing:

WSB in Atlanta: 

• WSB Anchor: “With Roe v. Wade overturned, Georgia Democrats are calling out Republicans for what they are calling a dangerous and unpopular anti-choice agenda.”
  
• Congresswoman Nikema Williams: “Mitch McConnell confirmed that a federal abortion ban is on the table if Republicans take control of the Senate. And Herschel Walker, Republicans’ candidate for US Senate – he would support making abortion illegal not just in Georgia, but across the country.”

CW69 in Atlanta:

• CW69 Anchor: “Georgia Democrats are calling out Georgia Republicans for their plans for abortion in the state.”
  
• Congresswoman Nikema Williams: “Y’all, this disastrous decision in Dobbs V. Jackson has cleared the way for Republicans to roll back the fundamental rights of women.”
  
• State Sen. Jen Jordan: “It’s going to impact every single person in the state of Georgia. And so whether we’re talking about women and their ability to actually access abortion care, or if we’re talking about physicians who leave the state…”
  
• Congresswoman Nikema Williams: “Georgians are ready to elect leaders who safeguard our right to make personal, private healthcare decisions without government interference.”

WJCL in Savannah:

• WJCL Anchor: “Abortion ban pushback: Georgia Democrats are fighting against their Republican counterparts on recent abortion legislation.”
  
• Kyron Neveaux, WJCL: “It has been almost a week since the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade. At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Georgia Democrats are pushing back.”
  
• Wade Herring: “Republicans have made their intentions known for years. They have told us that when they had the opportunity, they would not hesitate to curtail women’s rights by enacting the most restrictive abortion bans possible.”
  
• State Rep. Derek Mallow: “Health care providers right here in the city of Savannah are already being forced to prepare for a post-Roe Georgia under Brian Kemp’s dangerous restrictions.”
   
• Anne Allen Westbrook: “Politicians do not belong in the most deeply personal healthcare decisions that a woman makes. These decisions should only involve a woman and her doctor.”

WSAV in Savannah:

• WSAV Anchor: “Democrats pushing back today against what they call extreme abortion restrictions proposed by state Republicans. Local Democratic leaders say Georgia Republicans want a nationwide ban on abortion with no exceptions. They say that’s dangerous and out of touch.”
  
• Wade Herring: “Healthcare decisions are not for politicians to make.”
  
• Edward Moody, WSAV: “Local Democrats rallying in Savannah Wednesday say Georgia Republicans are on a mission to restrict freedoms, placing themselves between women and their right to choose.”

• State Sen. Edna Jackson: “What it seems like to me is that we are regressing to what it used to be.”
  
• Edward Moody: “Democratic state leaders and candidates say recent statements from Governor Brian Kemp and US Senate candidate Herschel Walker indicate Georgia Republicans intend to go beyond what even the state’s pending heartbeat law would call for.”
  
• Wade Herring: “Republicans will enact the toughest abortion bills possible with zero exceptions, and they are not ruling out the prospect of putting women and providers in jail.”
  
• Moody: “Pushing candidates like Stacey Abrams and Senator Raphael Warnock, Georgia Democrats are calling on voters to elect pro-choice candidates up and down the ballot in November.”
  
• State Rep. Derek Mallow: “It’s more important than ever that we elect pro-choice representatives in the Georgia House of Representatives and the State Senate to block Republican attacks on abortion rights and the fight for reproductive freedom.”
  
• State Sen. Edna Jackson: “The time is now, and if we don’t do it now, I can tell you we’ll be living in the day that we had prior to the 60s, prior to the 40s, and prior to the 30s.” 

• Read the story online here.

Fox28 in Savannah:

• Fox28 Anchor: “Savannah area Democrats holding a news conference today to talk about their concern over additional restrictions on abortion at the state level.”
  
• Wade Herring: “Millions of women in Georgia will be in danger if Republicans are allowed to enact their extreme restrictions on health care choice.”

• Wade Herring: “The bill represents one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion laws, banning abortions at six weeks when a heartbeat is detected. Some Republican candidates have promised to support a total abortion ban, removing exceptions for rape, incest and pregnancies which could pose fatal risks for the mother if carried to term.”
  
• Anne Allen Westbrook: “That will endanger Georgia women’s lives. Politicians do not belong in the most deeply personal health care decisions that a woman makes. These decisions should only involve a woman and her doctor.”
  
• Isabel Litterst: “The Democratic coalition says the fight for women’s rights isn’t over. The state leadership could change hands in November, and Georgia Democrats say a woman’s right to choose is on the ballot.” 

• Read the story online here.

WTOC Savannah: Ga. Democratic leader, candidates hold news conference in Savannah after Roe v. Wade decision

• The conversations around the banning of abortions in Georgia continued in Savannah on Wednesday. Democratic candidates in our area held a news conference to make their position clear.
  
• “Healthcare decisions are not for politicians to make. Women must be allowed to make their own private decisions and their own healthcare decisions with their doctor,” Wade Herring, 1st Congressional District Candidate said.

WALB in Albany: 

• WALB Anchor: “In the wake of Roe vs. Wade being overturned, at least half of the nation is working to make abortion illegal at the state level, including the Peach State. According to NPR, Georgia Democrats met to highlight how this will affect women in the states and their plan moving forward.”
  
• State Sen. Jen Jordan: “So whether we’re talking about women and their ability to actually access abortion care, or if we’re talking about physicians who leave the state because they’re not going to practice in a state that may jail them if they are providing care that they are required to give to patients in order to save their lives – whether we’re talking about businesses who are going to face really an onslaught of of litigation.”

41NBC in Macon: 

• 41NBC Anchor: “Americans and Georgians are still reacting to the overturning of Roe vs Wade last week… On a Zoom call this morning, Dr. Kelly Coffman, a candidate for State House District 53 and a reproductive psychiatrist, said her patients have expressed fears about the ruling.”
   
• Dr Kelly Coffman: “I know firsthand just how important that patient-physician relationship is. And there is absolutely no reason why politicians should be putting themselves in between a patient and her doctor and inserting their opinions into that medical decision.”

WTVM in Columbus:

• WTVM Anchor: “Georgia Democrats are speaking out against Republican efforts to push through a ban on abortion. This is in relation to the bill passed in 2019 that makes it illegal to perform an abortion in Georgia after six weeks of pregnancy and can now go into effect with the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade.”
  
• State Rep. Debbie Buckner: “The Georgia GOP now has a clear path, and some of the things that they want to propose are not only an unpopular anti-choice agenda that strips women of the right to make their own medical decisions, but some of them are downright dangerous.” 

• Councilwoman Toyia Tucker: “It is critical that we win up and down the ballot in November because Republicans up and down the ballot stand ready to push through draconian abortion restrictions.”

• Read the story online here.

Fox54 in Augusta: 

• Fox54 Anchor: “The Peach State is one of those with top leaders working to make abortion illegal. States now have the right to ban abortion for any reason, with or without exceptions for circumstances like rape and incest. According to NPR, Georgia Democrats met today making a plan and highlighting the impact the overturn could have on women.”
  
• State Sen. Jen Jordan: “So whether we’re talking about women and their ability to actually access abortion care, or if we’re talking about physicians who leave the state because they’re not going to practice in a state that may jail them if they are providing the care that they are required to give to patients in order to save their lives, whether we’re talking about businesses who are going to face really an onslaught of litigation…”

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