Republicans control the White House, U.S. Congress, legislatures in 32 states and governor’s mansions in 33 — but Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, doesn’t think the Democratic Party needs to change its message on abortion.
Some party higher-ups, including Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Ben Ray Lujan, argue Democrats can’t turn their backs on pro-life candidates if they want any chance at winning in traditionally red states and districts.
But in an interview with Politico Magazine published Tuesday, Ms. Richards said some of the reddest districts in the country are actually overwhelmingly pro-choice.
“And people even in some of the most conservative areas of the country who may themselves personally say, ’I would never choose to have an abortion,’ or, ’That’s not something that’s right for me,’ also absolutely do not believe politicians should be making decisions about pregnancy for women,” Ms. Richards said.
Polls have found anywhere from one-quarter to one-third of Democrats identify as pro-life. Even greater numbers support some restrictions on abortion.
A CNN poll conducted in 2014 found 33 percent of Democrats believe abortion should be illegal, except in a “certain circumstances.”
An additional 16 percent of Democrats said it should be illegal in “all circumstances.”
The position supported by Planned Parenthood, that abortion should be legal “under any circumstances,” was supported by just 32 percent of Democrats, the poll found.
Republicans are much more united on the question of abortion.
In the CNN poll, 46 percent of Republicans said abortion should be legal in only a “few circumstances.” Thirty-one percent, meanwhile, said it should be illegal in “all circumstances.”
Just 13 percent of Republicans agree with Planned Parenthood, that abortion should be legal “under any circumstances.”
• Bradford Richardson can be reached at brichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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