McDonnell, Cuccinelli, and Romney: extreme ideology over our interests

September 20, 2012

The Washington Post reports, "In a presidential campaign where women's issues have taken a more prominent role than many expected, the crucial swing state of Virginia is becoming the Grand Canyon of gender gaps. A new Washington Post survey indicates that President Obama holds a 19-percentage-point lead (58 to 39 percent) among female likely voters in the commonwealth yet is running six points behind Republican nominee Mitt Romney among men who are likely to vote (50 to 44 percent). That support from women is the reason the president now holds an eight-point advantage overall in Virginia."

Progressive Point: Politicians have no place interfering in decisions that should be between a woman, her doctor, and her faith. Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli have been focused on attacking women's health, restricting access to health clinics, threatening to criminalize some forms of birth control and trying to mandate transvaginal ultrasounds. Women have been clear in opposing these attempts to trample on our rights, but now Mitt Romney is supporting this same agenda.

The Romney-Ryan platform would turn back the clock on women's rights and restrict our ability to make decisions about our own bodies. Instead of attacking our constitutionally protected rights, our leaders should be focusing on building the middle class and our economic recovery.

Get the Facts:

• The Washington Post's recent poll shows "Obama leads Romney by 22 points on women's issues -- his single biggest advantage in the 10 issues tested... Nearly six in 10 women say social issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, will also be a factor." (Washington Post, September 20, 2012)


• The recent legislation, signed by Gov. McDonnell, singles out women's health centers that provide abortions and forces them to comply with hospital standards. No other outpatient clinic in Virginia, including those performing oral and cosmetic surgery, are forced to adhere to these standards. The underlying purpose is to force clinic closure through requiring unaffordable construction. (Washington Post, July 27, 2012)


• In addition to family planning services, Virginia's women's health clinics provide life-saving cancer screenings and health care services like STD screenings. (ProgressVA, June 14, 2012)


• Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and Bob McDonnell's party platform "salutes" Virginia's new anti-abortion legislation that originally required women to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound probe if they sought to pursue their constitutionally protected right to choose. (Washington Post, August 21, 2012)

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