Abortion has been a controversial topic leading up to the 2024 election. In Pennsylvania, incumbent Senator Bob Casey (D) stated he will fight for pre-Dobbs decision, while Dave McCormick (R) advocated for a states’ rights approach to access.
When the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Pennsylvania did not have trigger laws that would cause abortions to be immediately restricted. The issue of protecting access became a concern for the state during the gubernatorial race between Gov. Josh Shapiro and Doug Mastriano in 2022.
“Abortion rights are so politicized now, and it’s not like it shouldn’t be politicized,” said Gabija Stewart, a junior neuroscience and philosophy major. “The way I see it, it’s just a form of healthcare. Just like you go and you get biopsies or mammograms. It’s just a form of healthcare but obviously it should be accessible to all no matter what state you live in.”
In Pennsylvania, abortions are allowed until the 23rd week of pregnancy and in cases where the pregnant person’s health is at risk. Abortion is currently illegal in 13 states. In Georgia, another battleground state, abortion is banned at the six week mark.
Both Pennsylvania senate candidates have held a lukewarm stance on abortion access. Their views have adjusted during the years, changing from a neutral to stricter approach to the laws or vice versa.
Abortion rights have seen many changes in the state. Casey’s own father, former Gov. Bob Casey Sr., was the defendant in the 1992 Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey case after passing legislation requiring informed consent and a 24-hour wait period between scheduling and receiving procedure.
Senators in Congress, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act in 2023. The bill prohibits any government restrictions on access to abortion services. The act has not been passed nor amended since the day it was introduced.
Here is where each major party candidate stands on abortion.
Bob Casey (D)
Casey voted in favor of the right to an abortion under Roe v. Wade after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its landmark decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case.
Casey’s congressional campaign was endorsed by Reproductive Freedom for All, a non-profit organization for reproductive freedom.
In a U.S. Senate debate against McCormick on Oct. 15, Casey stated he voted to protect Roe by voting for the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023.
“I think most Americans believe that our daughters shouldn’t have fewer rights than their mothers, or their grandmothers,” Casey said in the second Pennsylvania U.S Senate debate on Oct. 15. “We’re at a point now where the country is going to make a choice in terms of this senate race, and control of the senate. That will largely determine whether those rights are restored or not.”
Dave McCormick (R)
McCormick described himself as a pro-lifer who is against a national ban on abortions. He stated that the decisions of abortion should be left to states.
McCormick supported the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end federal protection of abortion rights in 2022. He appeared on Fox News, where he called the court’s decision a “huge victory for the protection of life.”
McCormick stated in his previous Senate run against Mehmet Oz in 2022 that he believes abortion should be banned, with no exceptions even in cases of rape or incest.
In his second debate against Casey, McCormick advocated for states rights and three exceptions to the rule; the life of the mother, rape and incest.
“I believe that [abortion] is so polarizing that courts shouldn’t decide, judges shouldn’t decide, people should decide,” McCormick said. “And there’s very different views across states, so I believe it’s a state’s rights issue.”
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