Allegheny County Democrats rally for abortion rights

PITTSBURGH — The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is still arguably one of the biggest voting issues. A poll conducted this summer indicates the majority of Americans disapprove of the decision calling it bad for the country. But the question is: will that motivate them to vote, and if so, what impact will it have on the future of abortion care and reproductive health?

On Monday afternoon on the steps of the City-County building, after thousands showed up for the annual March for Life in D.C. on Friday, local Democratic lawmakers issued a rally cry for support in the fight to regain and expand access to abortion care,

“Abortion has been on the ballot every single election since Trump and his far right-wing supreme court overturned Roe,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said.

Monday would have marked the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, but in June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the decision, triggering a domino effect of abortion bans across the nation.

“Today, 51 years later, we have fewer rights than our mothers, our children have fewer rights than their grandmothers,” Congresswoman Summer Lee said.

Currently, one in three women live in areas where an abortion ban is in effect. A ban that would have prevented women like Kelsey Leigh from accessing abortion care when she was told her unborn child would be born with life-threatening conditions.

“If my pregnancy would have continued, he likely wouldn’t have the ability to swallow or breathe and his bones would have broken during delivery no matter the method,” Leigh said.

A CBS YouGov poll conducted this summer showed that:

• 57% of Americans believe the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was bad for the country.
• 43% of Americans believe it was good for the country.

While the question won’t directly appear on the ballot, Democratic lawmakers warned that with each vote cast the future of abortion care is on the line.

“We must organize to elect reproductive champions up and down the ballot to make reproductive healthcare a reality for all,” Lee said.

In Allegheny County, abortion care is protected through state and local legislation.

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