PA House Democrats campaign in Delaware County on reproductive freedoms across the commonwealth

House Speaker Joanna McClinton and Democratic lawmakers campaign on protecting reproductive rights in Delaware County. Democrats regained control of the Pennsylvania House in 2022 with a one-seat majority and are looking to expand that majority in November.

Democrats in the Pennsylvania House are looking to expand their slim, one-seat, 102-to-101 majority heading into the November election by advocating for reproductive rights and freedoms.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Delaware) joined Democratic lawmakers for a press conference in Delaware County on Tuesday as part of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee’s “People’s Majority Tour.”

“For the last year and several months, our one-seat majority has kept every one of the people’s priorities first, and that includes women,” McClinton said during the press conference.  

“We recognize that it was only two years ago that radical right-wing Republicans in Harrisburg made every effort to take away our rights. A late night session in July led to what would have been the most restrictive voter ID in the entire nation along with an abortion ban here in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

Following the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Republicans in the Pennsylvania House and Senate voted for a constitutional amendment that would ban abortion. 

However, Democrats flipped the House in 2022 for the first time in over a decade and were able to defend reproductive rights by stopping the amendment from going through during the 2023-2024 legislative session. 

Now they are hoping that voters’ support for reproductive rights expands their majority. 

McClinton and her colleagues highlighted Elizabeth Moro’s and Cristian Luna’s House campaigns in Delaware and Chester counties. 

Moro is a real estate agent and the owner of Centreville Place Cafe and Market in Delaware, and she is running against State Rep. Craig Williams (R-Chester). Meanwhile, Luna is a 27-year-old Avon Grove resident who works with domestic abuse survivors in Chester County, and he is running against State Rep. John Lawrence (R-Chester). 

Even though Williams voted against the constitutional amendment that would have banned abortion, advocates are going after Williams for supporting a bill that would have required those who suffered a miscarriage to have a funeral for the fetal remains. 

“That is just one example of what anti-abortion Republicans are going to do, not just in this state, but in this country if we allow them to get into office,” Adam Hosey, Planned Parenthood PA Advocates Political Director, said during the press conference. 

“It is exceptionally cruel for politicians that think they are qualified to make these healthcare decisions for them and is exceptionally cruel to force a family who might have just had a miscarriage to have a funeral for the fetal remains.”