Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and millions of women across the country lost access to safe, legal reproductive care. In the weeks since, Governor Mills has taken action to protect Maine’s abortion patients and providers, gaining plaudits from the Portland Press Herald editorial board for “making the time to protect our rights.”
However, the Press Herald also made clear that with Paul LePage on the ballot this November, Gov. Mills and Democrats are the only thing protecting reproductive freedom in Maine:
[Mills] is running for re-election this fall against former Gov. Paul LePage, who has recently been trying to hide from anti-abortion statements by him and the Maine Republican Party. LePage has tried to finesse the issue recently by saying that he “doesn’t have time for abortion,” because it doesn’t affect everyone. “Abortion affects few,” he said. We can only guess if LePage would find the time to sign a ban on abortion, if he were to win the election.
LePage’s attempts to avoid sharing his plan to restrict abortion rights in Maine have been far from reassuring, as Maine Republicans have touted their anti-abortion credentials and LePage himself accused abortion rights supports as “baby killers.”
“With the abortion rights of Maine people on the line, Governor Mills has taken action and shown that our reproductive freedoms won’t be taken away on her watch,” said Drew Gattine, Chair of the Maine Democratic Party. “The last two weeks have made clear that we have to re-elect her to keep abortion safe and legal in Maine. We can’t let Paul LePage and the Maine GOP force their unpopular beliefs on Maine people.”