Ohio’s Unique Abortion Rights Landscape is Creating a Vulnerability for Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno
June 24, 2024
MEMORANDUM
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Ohio Democratic Party Press
RE: Ohio’s Unique Abortion Rights Landscape is Creating a Vulnerability for Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno
OVERVIEW: Despite 57% of Ohioans voting to pass Issue 1 and protect reproductive freedom last year, Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno has said he would overturn the will of voters by supporting a national abortion ban that would supersede Ohio law. Moreno’s support of a national abortion ban with no exceptions puts him out-of-step with the majority of Ohio voters and is a major liability as he attempts to win Ohioans’ votes.
MORENO WOULD OVERTURN THE WILL OF OHIOANS WITH A NATIONAL ABORTION BAN: Ohioans made it clear that women’s healthcare decisions should be between them and their doctors – but Bernie Moreno wants to overturn the will of the voters by passing a national abortion ban.
- Cleveland.com: “While competing for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, Bernie Moreno argued for national legislation banning abortion…and previously has described himself as “100% pro-life without exceptions.”
- Cleveland.com: “[Moreno] celebrated Supreme Court returning abortion to states. Then Ohioans passed abortion rights…Moreno, as he has throughout his current Senate campaign, called for federal legislation banning abortion.’”
MORENO OPPOSES ABORTION “WITH NO EXCEPTIONS:” Moreno has described himself as “100% pro-life with no exceptions” and “absolute pro-life, no exceptions,” even in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
MORENO IS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF OHIOANS: Moreno voted to uphold Ohio’s abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest, voted against protecting contraception and fertility treatments, donated $100,000 of his personal fortune to the campaign to defeat Issue 1.
- Moreno also opposes guaranteeing a woman’s right to access contraception, including birth control pills, and opposes federal protections for IVF. Moreno called protecting IVF a “non-issue” a week after the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that prompted clinics to halt IVF treatments.
- Moreno: “I’ve given hundreds of thousands of dollars of my own money to pro life causes…I’m 100% pro-life myself, unapologetically pro-life.”
- NBC: “Moreno was also visible in the fight and donated money to the campaign to defeat the ballot measure, known as Issue 1.”
OHIOANS HAVE SPOKEN OUT ABOUT MORENO’S PLAN TO PASS A NATIONAL ABORTION BAN: Across the state, Ohioans have made clear that Moreno’s plan to overrule voters and pass a national abortion ban is disqualifying.
- Anna Birr, Columbus, OH: “I am concerned that we voted against a statewide abortion ban only to now have Bernie Moreno running for Senator from Ohio.”
- Angie Charles, Stow, OH: “After all the work to get reproductive rights written into our state constitution, we can’t send a fanatic like Bernie to Washington to take it away.”
- Dr. Kale Turner, Columbus, OH: “We must defeat out-of-touch candidates like Moreno…who would mute our voices by voting for a national abortion ban.”
- Dr. Arthur Lavin, Cleveland, OH: “Ohioans overwhelmingly voted to protect reproductive rights last fall, but now Bernie Moreno thinks that he and other politicians should be the ones making Ohio women’s healthcare decisions.”
- Dr. Catherine Romanos, Dayton, OH: “Bernie Moreno says he opposes all exceptions and will vote for a national abortion ban that would put my patients and all Ohio women in jeopardy.”
THE BOTTOM LINE: Moreno has made it clear he will not respect the will of Ohio voters and will pass an abortion ban that is out-of-step with the position the majority of Ohioans hold. Ohioans will not forget that Moreno wants to overturn their will by voting for a national abortion ban and has said himself he is “100% pro-life with no exceptions.”
###