Democrats traveled the Commonwealth on Protect Our Rights Tour to call out extreme Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano for his dangerous agenda that would ban abortion with no exceptions and jail doctors.
PENNSYLVANIA — It’s been one month since the Pennsylvania primary, and over the course of that month, Democrats called out the Republican nominee for Governor, Doug Mastriano, for his extreme plans to take away Pennsylvanians’ rights. Mastriano wants to outlaw abortion with no exceptions even for rape, incest, or the life of the mother, and criminalize medical professionals for performing abortions — he’s extreme and out-of-step with Pennsylvanians.
The day after Republicans nominated anti-choice extremist Doug Mastriano, Democrats came together in Pittsburgh to “warn voters about what would happen with abortion rights if Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano is elected in November.” At this first stop on the Protect Our Rights Tour, State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, State Rep. Emily Kinkead, Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Deb Gross, pro-choice activist Natalie Leslie, and PA Democratic Party Executive Director Jason Henry emphasized how high the stakes are for electing Josh Shapiro to protect Pennsylvanians’ rights — including reproductive rights. Starting off the general election right away, Pennsylvanians heard about Mastriano’s extremism on WTAJ, WPXI, WTAE — and read about it in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The tour then continued on the steps of the State Capitol in Harrisburg where State Representative Patty Kim, Cumberland County Commissioner Jean Foschi, Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, Harrisburg City Council Member and Democratic Congressional candidate Shamaine Daniels, and PA Democratic Party Political Director Shavonnia Corbin-Johnson made clear that Mastriano is the most dangerous gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania history, he “sits on the far-right of the far-right… he is… reflective of what the Republican Party has become.” Pennsylvanians heard about Doug Mastriano’s extreme anti-choice agenda on all local TV news stations — WGAL, WPMT, WHP, and WHTM.
In Allentown, State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, State Rep. Peter Schweyer, and a representative from Allentown City Council President Cynthia Mota’s office called out Doug Mastriano for his plans to not only outlaw abortion with no exceptions, but also to throw medical professionals in jail for performing abortions. Mastriano has already twice sponsored a six-week abortion ban in Harrisburg, and now touts his plans to criminalize abortion and arrest medical professionals. Speakers also reiterated that the stakes are too high for Pennsylvanians to sit on the sidelines — a message that Pennsylvanians saw on their TV screens on WFMZ.
At the same time, Republicans spent the first month of the general election complaining that “no one wanted” “cult guy” Doug Mastriano, and detailing how “embarrassed” they are with their “clown” of a candidate and his “absolutely of the fringe” and “out of step” agenda.
“While Republicans spent the first month of the general election focused on the past, relitigating the 2020 presidential election and criticizing their extremist nominee, Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvanians of all political stripes are uniting behind Attorney General Josh Shapiro as Democrats focus on the issues that matter most to Pennsylvanians — like protecting our rights,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Party Executive Director Jason Henry. “Doug Mastriano and Harrisburg Republicans are hellbent on taking away Pennsylvanians’ fundamental freedoms — including outlawing abortion with no exceptions and criminalizing medical professionals for performing abortions — and they’re making crystal clear that the only way to protect our rights is to elect Josh Shapiro as Pennsylvania’s next Governor, a point that the Pennsylvania Democratic Party will continue to communicate directly to Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth in the days to come.”
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