Today, new reporting in the Washington Post revealed that the Republican Governors Association has had ongoing discussions about how to implement a nationwide abortion ban. The reporting disclosed that the RGA—the largest backer of Paul LePage’s campaign—has helped anti-abortion activists coordinate their campaign to push abortion bans in Congress and states across the country. The effort is being led by Chris Christie, who LePage once endorsed for President, and is just the latest sign that Paul LePage’s allies are intent on stripping all Americans of their reproductive rights.
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, LePage has refused to rule out signing abortion restrictions into law. Just last week, he said that he believed abortion should be restricted, according to a questionnaire he submitted to the Christian Civic League of Maine. These comments underscore LePage’s long history of being anti-abortion.
Now that his backers in Washington are making their plans for Mainers’ abortion rights clear, LePage must answer: exactly how far would he let his anti-abortion allies go to restrict reproductive freedom in Maine?
“While Paul LePage is trying his hardest to avoid telling voters about his plans for abortion rights in Maine, his national backers are doing the talking for him,” said Misha Linnehan, spokesperson for the Maine Democratic Party. “Maine people deserve to know—will he go along with the rest of his GOP colleagues in their efforts to take away Americans’ reproductive rights?”
While LePage has run from the topic, Governor Mills has made clear that as long as she is in the Blaine House, she will fight tooth and nail to preserve existing abortion protections in Maine. She recently signed an executive order safeguarding abortion access from out-of-state attacks.