Abortion rights group endorsing 12 House Democrats

by Julia Manchester - 11/16/21 10:26 AM ET

Pro-choice activists demonstrate outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., Monday, November 11, 2021 as the court hears oral arguments for Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson and United States v. Texas regarding the Texas abortion laws. — Greg Nash

The abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America announced on Tuesday it is endorsing 12 House Democrats ahead of next year’s midterm elections as the abortion debate rages across the country.

“As the right to abortion faces an existential threat, it is more important than ever that we have representatives in Congress who will fight for a world where everybody can make their own decisions about their lives, families, and futures,” said NARAL President Mini Timmaraju. “We trust that each of these leaders will continue to fight for the values of the overwhelming majority of people in the United States who support the freedom to decide if, when, and how to start or grow a family.”

The Democratic lawmakers endorsed by the group were Reps. Abigail Spanberger (Va.), Elaine Luria (Va.), Josh Harder (Calif.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), Jared Golden (Maine), Antonio Delgado (N.Y.), Chris Pappas (N.H.), Mikie Sherrill (N.J.), Tom O’Halleran (Ariz.), Angie Craig (Minn.), and Steven Horsford (Nev.).

Politico was the first outlet to report on news of the endorsements. All of the endorsed candidates are facing relatively tough reelection bids and are all on the National Republican Congressional Committee’s target list for next year.

Abortion rights and anti-abortion groups are working to make abortion a key issue in 2022 as the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments over a Mississippi law that bans the procedure after 15 weeks and threatens the standing of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the U.S.

The high court is also considering Texas’s controversial six-week abortion ban, which was argued before the justices on Nov. 1.

A Washington Post-ABC News survey released on Tuesday found that 60 percent of Americans say they believe the Supreme Court should uphold Roe v. Wade, while only 27 percent say they think it should be overturned.