What the 2022 Candidates are Saying About Abortion

Following the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned historic Roe v. Wade, it is no surprise that abortion is a key issue in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections. 

The decision sparked movements on both sides of the argument for expanding or restricting reproductive rights as these choices are now left to state governments. Some states immediately took to limiting or removing access to abortion, while others were quick to reassure state residents this access would be protected despite the ruling.

With the issue of reproductive rights pressing the minds of voters across the spectrum, candidate stances on abortion are at the forefront of the 2022 elections. These races have the power to decide which direction each state will go in terms of moving to expand or restrict reproductive rights in the future. 

RELATED: Inflation, Abortion are Biggest Motivators for Young 2022 Voters

AllSides has taken to examining where these candidates stand and what each is saying in regards to the hot-button topic of abortion. Let’s take a look at some of the races.

Senate Elections 

Florida

Val Demings (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“We must work relentlessly to preserve our right to choose and our right to privacy. We must protect Roe v. Wade in federal law. We cannot go back to a time when women were treated as second class citizens who don’t have control over our own bodies.”

Val Demings believes in protecting the right to abortion up to the time of viability. She feels each individual should have the right to consult with a medical professional for help with this decision.

Marco Rubio (R, Incumbent): Protect the right to life.

“There is no human right more fundamental and more sacred than the right to life… I remain committed to fighting to protect and uphold the right to life in Congress.”

Marco Rubio believes strongly in upholding the right to life. He has long spoken out about tightening restrictions on abortions and has supported and co-sponsored various pieces of legislation to that end. Most recently, Rubio is co-sponsoring Senator Graham’s bill that would effectively prohibit abortions past 15 weeks of pregnancy throughout the United States. 

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

North Carolina

Cheri Beasley (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“I know that abortion is a fundamental right – and I will not stop fighting to protect that freedom. Congress must take action and codify Roe v. Wade NOW.”

Cheri Beasley is a strong advocate for reproductive rights and women's rights as a whole. She supports the Women’s Health Protection Act which would serve to codify Roe v. Wade. She is also in favor of repealing the Hyde Amendment. Additionally, she is endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Action fund.

Ted Budd (R): Protect the right to life.

“I believe that life begins at conception and that our country should not stand for the injustice of ending the lives of millions of unborn children every year through abortion. I will do everything I can to stand up for life.”

Ted Budd is committed to his pro-life stance. His campaign website highlights many of his values and initiatives in regards to this issue. He has sponsored legislation banning “born-alive” abortions and voted in favor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to restrict late-term abortion. Additionally, he supports the preservation of the Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer funding from contributing to abortions. If elected, Budd plans to defund Planned Parenthood, oppose activist judges, and prohibit at-home, “mail-order” abortions. He also highlights his 100% rating from the National Right to Life and the Susan B. Anthony List.

Matthew Hoh (Green Party): Protect the right to abortion.

“The United States government has waged war on women’s bodies for decades. With the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the small amount of legal protection afforded to people in many parts of the U.S. who are seeking abortions will be eliminated. The Matthew Hoh for Senate campaign calls on federal, state, and local governments to fully legalize abortion and protect the reproductive rights of all people. We believe abortion is healthcare and that healthcare is a human right.”

Matthew Hoh believes in legalizing abortion at federal, state, and local levels. His campaign website lays out a number of policies he supports, including repealing “heartbeat” bills and the Hyde Amendment, increasing funding for abortion services, and protecting the right to abortion through codified law. 

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

Iowa

Michael Franken (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“Fairness means that everyone has the right to make their own personal health decisions. Admiral Franken supports a woman’s right to full autonomy when it comes to her health and her body.”

Michael Franken takes a strong stance on protecting the right to abortion. He has voiced is commitment to codifying Roe v. Wade if elected.

Chuck Grassley (R): Protect the right to life; however, against travel restrictions on abortion.

“For many Americans, including myself, this decision is about far more than correcting a flawed legal analysis in Roe; it means that the rights of the unborn are no longer in jeopardy by our federal government. Our nation was founded on the fundamental principle we are endowed by our creator with the unalienable right to life – a right that must be protected.”

Chuck Grassley takes a pro-life stance on the issue of abortion, voting against a Senate bill protecting abortion rights and referring to Roe v. Wade as a flawed precedent. However, Grassley made headlines when saying restricting travel for abortion is “unconstitutional.”

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

Ohio

Tim Ryan (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“Every Ohioan should be able to access the health care that’s right for them, and that includes protecting the right to safe, legal abortion.”

Tim Ryan believes in providing access to safe, legal abortion and protecting reproductive freedom. Ryan has voted against attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and is a cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act.

J.D. Vance (R): Protect the right to life.

“I am 100 percent pro-life, and believe that abortion has turned our society into a place where we see children as an inconvenience to be thrown away rather than a blessing to be nurtured. Eliminating abortion is first and foremost about protecting the unborn, but it’s also about making our society more pro-child and pro-family. The historic Dobbs decision puts this new era of society into motion, one that prioritizes family and the sanctity of all life. The pro-life fight continues by ensuring that every young mother has the resources to bring new life into the world, expanding adoption and promoting pregnancy centers, so that every child grows up in a loving home, as they deserve. We’ll expand child tax credits and ensure that young parents don’t come home from the hospital with budget-busting surprise bills.”

J.D. Vance takes a strong pro-life stance on the issue of abortion and supports banning abortions.

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

Gubernatorial Elections

Texas

Beto O’Rourke (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“​​All Texans deserve the freedom to make their own decisions about their own body, their own health care, and their own future. We deserve the freedom to decide if, when, and with whom to start a family.”

Beto O’Rourke is pro-choice and stands behind the right of individuals to make decisions regarding abortion. O’Rourke vows to work to repeal the current ban on abortion within the state and veto any future proposed restrictive legislation, including limitations to contraceptive access and travel for abortion services. He also seeks to bolster contraceptive and family planning services.

Greg Abbott (R, Incumbent): Protect the right to life.

“Our Creator endowed us with the right to life, but millions of children lose that right every year because of abortion. In Texas, we work to spare every child from the ravages of abortion, which is why I am proud to join my fellow governors in protecting the unborn.”

Greg Abbott takes a pro-life stance on abortion. He signed a bill into law in 2021 banning abortion once a heartbeat is detected, which usually falls around six weeks of pregnancy. The law does not include exceptions in cases of rape or incest, and allows citizens to sue abortion providers and those who aid women in seeking an abortion.

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

New Mexico

Michelle Lujan Grisham (D, Incumbent): Protect the right to abortion.

“Today we have once again declared that we will take every available action to protect the rights and access to health care of anyone in New Mexico…As long as I am governor, abortion will continue to be legal, safe, and accessible in New Mexico.”

Governor Lujan Grisham is unwavering in her commitment to protecting the right to abortion for the citizens of New Mexico. Most recently, she signed an executive order in August that expanded access to reproductive healthcare including abortion services, with a focus on expanding access in rural areas.

Mark Ronchetti (R): Protect the right to life and restrict abortion to limited cases.

“I am pro-life and believe abortion should be rare…It’s time to end the barbaric practice of late-term abortion in New Mexico.”

Currently, abortions are legal at any point of pregnancy in New Mexico. According to his campaign website, Mark Ronchetti takes a pro-life stance on abortion, however in his role as governor he would not seek to ban abortion entirely. Instead, he believes in legal abortion up to 15 weeks and in cases of incest, rape, and risk to the life of the mother. Additionally, he believes in bolstering support for expectant mothers and ensures continued protection for contraception and healthcare.

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

Georgia

Stacey Abrams (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“As a woman, I am enraged by the continued assault on our right to control our bodies + our futures. As an American, I am appalled by the SCOTUS breach & its implications. As the next Governor of Georgia, I will defend the right to an abortion and fight for reproductive justice.”

Stacey Abrams is adamant about protecting the freedom of choice for women and families. She shares plans to repeal the current 6-week ban on abortions in Georgia and veto any further legislation restricting abortion rights. While this ban is still upheld, Abrams hopes to work with law enforcement to limit the criminalization of abortion as much as possible in regards to executing arrests and prosecutions.

Brian Kemp (R, Incumbent): Protect the right to life.

“During debate on the heartbeat bill, I would always start with a simple statement: Georgia is a state that values life…As a pro-life Governor, I believe that we need to protect the unborn and the born. We have to defend those in the womb and then champion those when they leave the delivery room.”

Brian Kemp is steadfastly pro-life. Kemp signed a near-total ban on abortions shortly after taking office in 2019. This ban served to prohibit abortions after the detection of a heartbeat, which can be as early as six weeks in some cases. While blocked at the time, the new Supreme Court ruling has redirected Kemp’s attention to implementing this legislation.

See more on the candidates in this race from our friends at guides.vote.

House Elections

Alaska

Mary Peltola (D, Incumbent): Protect the right to abortion.

“I’m the only pro-choice woman in this race and as your U.S. Representative I will stand up for women and fight to enshrine abortion protections in federal law.”

“Everyone deserves quality healthcare. That includes access to safe, legal abortions, with no exceptions. A repeal of abortion access would disproportionately impact people of color and low-income women who already experience unfair barriers to healthcare. I will fight to codify Roe v. Wade and guarantee the right to individual choice.”

Mary Peltola advocates for protecting the right to abortion. She is endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. She believes abortion is a personal choice that should not be put in the hands of the government.

Sarah Palin (R): Protect the right to life.

“Abortion is taking the life of an innocent baby, thus I am unapologetically pro-life and I’ll do what I can to help usher in a culture of life, love and compassion in our country.”

Sarah Palin is a long-time public advocate for the right to life. She has spoken at a number of pro-life events throughout her political career in her advocacy against abortion.

Nicholas Begich (R): Protect the right to life.

“I am pro-life. The Supreme Court appears set to return this to the individual states in accordance with the 10th Amendment’s enumerated powers clause. Related legislative action will now be predominantly determined by state legislatures and governors, subject to judicial review within each state.”

Nicholas Begich takes a pro-life stance on the issue of abortion and believes that decisions in regards to access and restrictions should be left in the hands of the states.

Chris Bye (Libertarian Party): Leave the decision to the states.

“With two tours of combat, I have seen enough purposeful death.  I’m with Dr. Ron Paul, this decision needs to be made at the state level.  Zero taxpayer dollars spent on abortion nor on corporate bailouts nor military boondoggles. Contraceptives that are available without prescriptions and medical industry fees.  Simple adoptions without bureaucracy.”

Chris Bye advocates for leaving the decision of abortion access to the states. He also believes contraceptives should be available without a prescription.

Maine

District 1

Chellie Pingree (D, Incumbent): Protect the right to abortion.

“Abortion is health care, not a political football.”

Chellie Pingree’s pro-choice stance is central to her political agenda. She is a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus and has cosponsored a number of bills protecting reproductive rights including the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act and the Women’s Health Protection Act.

Ed Thelander (R): Leave the decision to the states.

(In response to the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization): “I respect the sanctity of life, just as I will respect the rights and opinions of all the people of Maine’s First Congressional District. Regardless of one’s position on whether there is a right to life or a right to abortion, this ruling merely corrects a prior decision that was, in the view of many, flawed legal reasoning. With this decision, the Supreme Court puts the regulation of abortion back in the hands of State Legislatures, as the Founders intended. What the nation needs most now is to move forward in the spirit of compassion, trust and support – Support for women grappling with this life-changing decision, compassion toward our fellow citizens, and trust in this unique form of government as designed by our Founders."

Ed Thelander appears to take a pro-life stance on the issue of abortion, although he has not shared extensively regarding what kinds of restrictions he supports specifically. He believes decisions regarding abortions should be left to the states.

District 2

Jared Golden (D, Incumbent): Protect the right to abortion.

“Here in Maine, the reproductive healthcare decisions of women remain protected under current state law. Today’s decision should remind us just how important it is to fight for state legislative majorities that will safeguard the right of a woman to make private decisions about her body. And while the odds of success may be long, I believe Congress should work to find ways to protect women’s rights to the greatest extent possible by codifying as much of the Roe and Casey frameworks as possible within the constraints of our narrow majorities, even if we are unable to preserve the entire pre-Dobbs status quo.”

Jared Golden believes that the right to abortion should be protected and believes in codifying the principles established in Roe v. Wade as much as possible to ensure these rights remain intact.

Bruce Poliquin (R): Pro-life; leave decisions to the states.

“So I'm pro-life and very proud of it. But even if you are pro-choice — and that's fine if that's what you believe in — the state of Maine has protections. Abortion is allowed in the state of Maine."

Bruce Poliquin has a largely pro-life record politically on the issue of abortion. In 2014, he voted in favor of a federal ban on the majority of abortions after 20 weeks. When surveyed in 2014, he also indicated he would support a constitutional amendment banning abortion. However, more recently Poliquin has shared he believes decisions regarding abortion should be left to the states.

Tiffany Bond (Independent): Protect the right to abortion.

“It is incredibly difficult to make complex medical decisions, from cancer care to abortion coverage. The government doesn’t belong in this space, it’s an overreach of authority. These are private decisions to [be] made by a patient with the guidance of qualified medical professionals… It shouldn’t matter if you are pro-life or pro-choice, you should be pro-government shouldn’t be that big and should stay out of my business – and if that hasn’t sufficiently sold you, perhaps consider the government power to tell a person they must continue a pregnancy is the same power that would allow for a government to tell you that you must end one…”

Tiffany Bond advocates for decisions regarding abortions to be left to individuals and their medical providers rather than left in the hands of government officials. She feels as though the government shouldn’t have so much control over the bodies and lives of citizens. Bond is “pro-privacy.”

Texas

District 22

Claudia Zapata (D): Protect the right to abortion.

“I fully support one’s right to bodily autonomy. I am disappointed but not hopeless. Now is the time to elect Pro-Choice Democrats at every level of government, and the good news is we still have time to do so.”

Claudia Zapata takes a pro-choice stance on the issue of abortion. She has spoken out on both Twitter and Facebook regarding her views, including seeing abortion as a “healthcare right” and sharing an image on Facebook reading, “Keep your laws and opinions out of my uterus.” Following the ruling in Dobbs, she is adamant about bringing pro-choice leadership to Texas and protecting access to safe abortions.

Chip Roy (R, Incumbent): Protect the right to life.

(In response to Texas’ Human Life Protection Act coming into effect): “State law, once again, protects and acknowledges the fundamental truth that life begins at conception and that the smallest of our fellow Texans deserve the same legal protection as the rest of us.”

Chip Roy is steadfast in his belief in upholding the right to life and has voted against abortion rights bills brought to the House. He believes in federal action to protect the right to life.

District 37

Lloyd Doggett (D, Incumbent): Protect the right to abortion.

“As a member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, with a 100% pro-choice voting record, I oppose efforts to block access to comprehensive reproductive care and fully support measures that help protect women's health.”

Lloyd Doggett takes a pro-choice stance on the issue of abortion. He sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act in efforts to codify Roe v. Wade and as well as the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act. He is committed to protecting the right to safe, accessible abortions in the state of Texas and otherwise. 

Jenny Garcia Sharon (R): Protect the right to life.

“Abortions are performed in this Country at alarming rates, as if abortion is the preferred method of birth control in the name of “women’s healthcare”. I believe unequivocally that every unborn child is endowed by its Creator with a right to Life from conception to birth. As your elected Representative I will do everything in my power to ensure that every unborn child is given every opportunity afforded by God to be born into this world.”

Jenny Garcia Sharon is pro-life on the issue of abortion. She is against the practice and believes that life begins at conception. She is in favor of greater restrictions.

Rose Mercer is a Content and Research Intern at AllSides. She has a Lean Left bias.
This blog was reviewed and edited by Henry A. Brechter, Managing Editor (Center bias).

Image Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr