[Portland, OR] – In the final days in the Oregon governor’s race, both Tina Kotek and Christine Drazan are making reproductive rights a top issue — and the contrast is more stark than ever.
This week, Tina Kotek traveled the state to lay out her plan to defend reproductive rights alongside leaders from Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon and health care providers. Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups started a new ad blitz to prop up Drazan, while she spent time campaigning with Chris Christie, an anti-choice former governor who gutted reproductive health care and is leading the Republican Party’s effort to ban abortion state-by-state, according to reporting from The Washington Post.
Yesterday, An Do, the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon and Representative Rachel Prusak, a nurse practitioner, spoke out about Chris Christie’s visit to Oregon on a press call hosted by the Kotek campaign:
WATCH: TINA KOTEK CAMPAIGN RESPONDS TO CHRIS CHRISTIE CAMPAIGNING IN OREGON FOR CHRISTINE DRAZAN
Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon Executive Director An Do: “[Christie] has given us the playbook of how, as an anti-abortion governor, they can use their line-item veto — even in a state as pro-choice as New Jersey or Oregon — to take away access to health care. And we already know that Drazan has committed to following his lead.”
Rep. Prusak: “Taking away abortion rights is the Republican Party’s top priority, and it’s clear they’ve got their sights set on Oregon and are counting on Christine Drazan to carry out their mission. Why else would Drazan bring the Republican Party’s leading architect of their scheme to ban abortion nationwide to Oregon to campaign with her?”
The Tina Kotek campaign also released a new TV ad focusing on the threat Drazan poses to Oregonians’ abortion rights:
The GOP’s anti-choice allies also revved up their support for Drazan’s campaign this week. Oregon Right to Life is propping up her campaign with new digital ads. They also joined one of the nation’s most extreme anti-abortion groups to rally around Drazan with a new endorsement, a press conference and new webpage.
While Drazan doubled down on her anti-choice agenda, Tina emphasized her commitment to defend reproductive freedom in events in Eugene, Bend, Portland, and Gresham.
From KVAL in Eugene: “Kotek promotes reproductive rights in campaign stop in Eugene”
“Democratic nominee for governor Tina Kotek began the second leg of her “get out the vote” tours in Eugene on Monday, pushing for reproductive rights. After wrapping up her “Fighting for Working Families” tour, Kotek visited the Democratic party headquarters and the University of Oregon as part of her “Defending our Reproductive Rights” tour. Kotek is focusing on the differences between her stance on abortion and her main opponent, Republican Christine Drazan.
“‘Drazan, who’s the Republican candidate, wants to ban abortion,’ Kotek said. ‘She’s been very clear about that, and as governor would have a lot of ability to impede the work that we have done here in Oregon to provide access to reproductive care. She even sponsored a bill in Oregon that would have gone after providers that are doing abortion care and putting them in jail. That’s a very serious shift of what we have had here in Oregon.’
“Although unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson promotes her position as pro-choice, Kotek has taken the stance that recent polling shows Johnson can’t win and so she says, ‘If people are still supporting Betsy Johnson, it has the potential to bring us an anti-abortion governor with Christine Drazan.’
From Central Oregon Daily News in Bend:
Democrat Tina Kotek held an event in Bend focusing on defending reproductive rights. Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon, college students, local leaders came out to outline how this election could impact the issue of abortion and to urge people to vote.
Kotek also touted her Planned Parenthood endorsement.
“I am the only candidate in the race endorsed by organizations that people trust on the issue of reproductive rights, Planned Parenthood of Oregon, Pro-Choice Oregon and the Mother PAC and the Oregon Nurses Association. Because abortion is health care,” Kotek said.
This visit from Kotek was part of her “Get Out The Vote Tour.” The next topic she plans to tackle is “extremism” in politics.
On Wednesday, Tina was joined by Planned Parenthood of Oregon PAC Executive Director An Do, state Reps. Travis Nelson and Lisa Reynolds, and Dr. Paula Bednareck at a press event in Portland.
From KGW: Oregon governor candidates take stance on abortion, reproductive rights
“With less than two weeks until the Election Day Democratic candidate Tina Kotek, endorsed by Planned Parenthood, is traveling the state touting her record on reproductive rights in Oregon.
“‘I helped pass the strongest legislation in the country to protect reproductive health care for Oregonians,’ said Kotek. ‘And that’s all kinds of healthcare. And it also includes abortion. That would all be at risk if there was a Republican governor.’”
