Planned Parenthood is making a significant effort to bring the national debate over abortion access to North Carolina, a key battleground state. The organization’s political arm, Planned Parenthood Votes South Atlantic, plans to invest $10 million in organizing efforts in the state this year, the largest investment made in a single state. The funding will be used for digital advertisements, new field offices, and a canvassing operation in swing counties, with the goal of preserving abortion access and engaging voters in the upcoming elections.
While abortion is not explicitly on the ballot in North Carolina, Democrats are counting on the issue to energize voters in the state’s competitive race for governor. The Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Stein, is hoping to benefit from the focus on abortion to boost both himself and President Biden. North Carolina is the last state in the Deep South where abortion is legal after six weeks of pregnancy, a fact that Democrats are emphasizing to underscore the importance of the election for voters.
Republican nominee for governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, has endorsed a ban on all abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, making the stakes even higher for voters concerned about preserving abortion access. Planned Parenthood Votes South Atlantic is also targeting 16 state House and Senate races in hopes of breaking the Republican supermajority in the state legislature. Democrats and their allies believe that Robinson’s controversial remarks about abortion and the grassroots energy around the issue can help boost their chances in the upcoming elections.
Planned Parenthood’s organizing efforts will focus on reaching out to suburban white women, whom they believe are among the most persuadable voters on the issue of abortion. They have also hired organizers to mobilize young, Black, and Latino voters in the state. With a strong emphasis on the regional battle for reproductive rights, Planned Parenthood is training canvassers to communicate the importance of the upcoming elections in protecting abortion access in North Carolina.
Other groups, such as Red, Wine and Blue, a nonpartisan organization mobilizing women in the suburbs, have also identified abortion access as a top issue in the upcoming elections. Janice Robinson, the North Carolina director for the group, stated that they are prepared to fight to protect abortion access in the state and are actively recruiting new members to join their cause. As the debate over abortion access intensifies in North Carolina, the efforts of these organizations and the outcome of the upcoming elections could have significant implications for the future of reproductive rights in the state.
