NH Democrats Call Roe Overturn Devastating; GOP Says It’s Federalism

CONCORD, NH — As expected, the reaction by Granite State politicians to the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade decision from nearly 50 years ago, which was about a month ago, was swift and feverish.

Dozens of emails from politicos and organizations with comments and reactions were sent during the first two hours after the ruling was made — with Democrats denouncing the decision and Republicans commending it. Both Republicans and Democrats also noted abortion remains safe and legal in New Hampshire for up to 24 weeks while a number of pols and orgs used the ruling as a chance to raise campaign contributions.

The New Hampshire Democrat Party was the first organization with a statement from Ray Buckley, its chairman. He called the decision “devastating,” warned Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would use the decision to implement a nationwide ban on abortions, while also highlighting the “extreme, anti-choice agenda” of Republican candidates challenging first-term U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan who is running for re-election in November. Buckley also attacked Republican Gov. Chris Sununu for signing a ban on abortions after the 24th week into law.

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“We know that Republicans on the ballot will keep trying to pass more restrictions on abortion and reproductive health care,” he said, “which is why we will keep working every single day to elect Democrats who will fight for women’s reproductive freedom and their right to make their own health care choices.”

Sununu, however, countered, “Regardless of this Supreme Court decision, access to these services will continue to remain safe, accessible, and legal in New Hampshire.”

Sununu has five Republican challengers in September: Karen Testerman, Thaddeus Riley, Richard McMenamon, Jay Lewis, and Julian Acciard.

All four of the state's Congressional delegation, Hassan, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, and U.S. Reps. Ann McLane Kuster and Chris Pappas, all Democrats, also condemned the decision.

Shaheen called it “a dark day for our country” and a “terrifying new reality” while Hassan said the decision pulled women and the country “backwards to a time when women were second-class citizens.” Republicans, she said, were able to do this by “stacking the court with radical and extremist judges.” Pappas called the ruling “a devastating blow against health, wellbeing, and personal freedom” of women by allowing states “to enact draconian laws limiting access to abortion and reproductive health care.” Kuster said she, too, was “devastated, but not surprised,” the ruling. Two generations of women, she noted, have relied on the ability “to make their own personal reproductive decisions, and all of that progress ends today.” This ruling, she added, would have “immediate, detrimental impact on women and their health, autonomy, and freedom across our country.”

Kuster is being challenged by Republicans Scott Black, Robert Burns, Michael Callis, George Hansel, Jay Mercer, Dean Poirer, and Lily Tang Williams.

State Rep. Tim Baxter, one of Pappas’ District 1 GOP opponents, disagreed, calling the decision a historic end to the “unethical practice of abortion” that will lead to “millions of unborn lives (being) saved in red states.”

Tom Alciere, Gail Huff. Brown, Mark Kilbane, Karoline Leavitt, Mary Maxwell, Matt Mowers, Russell Prescot, Kevin Rondeau, and Gilead Towne are also running in the District 1 Republican primary.

Former Gen. Don Bolduc, who is attempting to secure the GOP nomination to challenge Hassan, said his time in Afghanistan and Africa led him to believe that all life should be protected. At the same time, he said, “we must understand that this opinion does not outlaw abortion. It returns the decision to the individual states to make the decision they think is best for their citizens … that is precisely how the Founding Fathers intended our Constitutional Republic to function.”

Senate President Chuck Morse, who also wants to challenge Hassan in November, said the “vast majority” of New Hampshire residents support the decision by him and his colleagues to ban late-term and partial-birth abortions in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. He, too, said the decision was about federalism and belonged to each state to make, as the court ruled.

Gerard Beloin, John Berman, Bruce Fenton, Michael Keating, Dennis Lamare, Edmond Laplante, Vikram Mansharamani, Andy Martin, Tejasinha Sivalingam, and Kevin Smith are also on the Republican ballot in the 2022 Senate race.

State Sen. Tom Sherman (D-Rye), a doctor who is challenging Sununu in November, sent out a fundraising email, as did other Democrats, including the state party, moments after releasing its statement, requesting support for the Protect Our Rights Fund as part of its Weekend Of Action.

“Now more than ever, we need a leader we can trust to stand up for women’s rights in New Hampshire,” Sherman said.

Sherman is unchallenged for the Democrat nomination.

Shoshanna Kelly, who is running for the Executive Council District 5 seat, currently held by Councilor David Wheeler (R-Milford), said the time for Democrats to act was “now,” especially due to Republicans being in power who could enact “more restrictions and making it even more difficult to access reproductive healthcare … this is something we know they will do.”

Incumbent District 2 Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington (D-Concord), who is being challenged in the Democrat primary by former councilor Michael Cryans and Bradford Todd, also said the decision set women back decades.

“The ability to access reproductive health care — including abortion care — allows women to plan, prevent, and space their pregnancies,” she said.

If she wins in September, Warmington will be challenged by Republican Harold French of Canterbury, a former state Senator, or Kim Strathdee of Lincoln.

Katherine Harake, a Democrat who is challenging Executive Councilor Janet Stevens (R-Rye) called the decision dreadful and said, anyone who believed “in human dignity,” needed to support access to abortion and reproductive health care.

“Now is the time to step up,” she said. “Our government shouldn’t force women to give birth. This undoing of our fundamental rights must be fought back against at all levels of government.”

State Sen. Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) called the decision “chilling” but she would “never stop fighting for access to safe, legal abortion and for our fundamental rights to freedom and self-determination.” She is being challenged by Republican Linda Rae Banfill of Concord, for the District 15 state Senate seat.

Melanie Levesque, the former state Senator for District 13, who is again challenging state Sen. Kevin Avard(R-Nashua), said “one of our greatest fears has become our reality” while adding the fight was not over.

“We must take our grief and turn it into action,” she said “If we cannot rely on federal protection, it is up to us to ensure that everyone in the state of New Hampshire has access to affordable, comprehensive reproductive healthcare — which now and always includes legal abortion.”

Dartmouth Health also issued a statement, which was not credited to any person, saying the company was “unwavering in its belief in the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship to make the best-informed decisions for patients to reflect their needs and healthcare priorities.” The health care company's press office added, “We also strongly believe that abortion is an essential component of healthcare. Like all medical matters, decisions regarding abortion should be made by patients in consultation with their healthcare providers. Abortion remains legal and accessible in New Hampshire and Vermont, and Dartmouth Health will continue to provide this care as part of our commitment to our patients.”

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Next Gen America, the Committee to Elect House Democrats, and others also issued statements condemning the decision while the Conservative Partnership Institute and others praised the decision.

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