Democratic Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks took aim Wednesday at her Republican opponent, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, over his position on abortion.
Alsobrooks spoke at an abortion rights rally, where she criticized Hogan's statements that abortion should be legal up to 26 weeks of pregnancy, the standard set by the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. That decision was overturned in 2022, and now states can make their own laws regulating abortion, which has galvanized Democrats nationwide, who are campaigning to protect abortion access as Republicans seek to limit or ban the procedure.
"I don't believe that these decisions are ones that should be left to politicians," Alsobrooks told reporters Wednesday. "The decision about reproductive choice, about the freedom to access an abortion belongs to that women. And to her, it's a family decision. The woman, her family and her doctor. I believe politicians, Larry Hogan, ought to get out of the examination room."
When asked if there should be any cut-off on abortion access, Alsobrooks answered, "no."
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"I believe the decision belongs to a woman and her doctor," she said, pointing to circumstances when a pregnant woman's life may be at risk without medical intervention.
Hogan, a moderate who served two terms as blue state Maryland's popular GOP governor, recently came out as "pro-choice" and has said the abortion issue should not be decided by "extremes" on both sides.
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In a 30-second campaign ad released this week, Hogan agreed with Democrats that "no one should come between a woman and her doctor."
"Today, with Roe overturned, many have asked what I'll do in the United States Senate. I'll support legislation that makes Roe the law of the land in every state so every woman can make her own choice," he said in the ad.
The GOP candidate clarified his position in a radio interview on Wednesday, stating that he supports a compromise bill offered by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., that would codify Roe into federal law.
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"Democrats want to take it much further," Hogan told WBAL.
"I didn't do anything to take away access to abortion for any woman in Maryland," Hogan said, pointing to his record as governor.
"I don't think this is what the election's going to be decided about. And my record is very clear," he added.
The latest Fox News Poll shows that the issue of abortion is the biggest single issue among self-described Democrats (24%), suburban women (24%), self-described very liberals (23%), Black voters (17%), those with a college degree (17%), and voters under age 30 (16%).
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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