ROUNDUP: Trump and Stein Double Down on National Abortion Bans, Republicans Deploy Dirty Third-Party Tricks

By MoveOn. Friday, November 1 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz make their final pitch to voters about their positive vision for America, Republicans and third-party candidates are doubling down on passing a national abortion ban and restrictions on reproductive freedom. Republicans across the country are also engaging in dirty tricks to deceive voters in the final stretch.

Just yesterday, Donald Trump intimated that he would tap Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to handle policy related to women’s health. For those keeping score at home, RFK Jr. said that he supports a national abortion ban and ran an anti-IVF campaign – giving the government more authority to dictate what happens to our bodies. RFK Jr. has also repeatedly minimized abortion and reproductive health policy as a “culture war” and “trigger” issue. This is NOT a person who should be mandating health care for anyone.

In another revelation, third-party spoiler Jill Stein and her VP pick, Butch Ware, opened the door to a national abortion ban. In an interview, Ware said, “Of course, there have to be limitations,” in response to a question on abortion, a position in sharp contrast to Vice President Kamala Harris, who does not believe in restricting reproductive freedom. Not only has Jill Stein’s campaign adopted Donald Trump’s anti-abortion platform, their campaign’s remarks show exactly why MAGA operatives have invested so much in Stein’s campaign. 

MAGA investment in Jill Stein’s spoiler candidacy is rearing its ugly head. Huffpost reported that GOP-funded groups are pushing deceptive ads in Wisconsin, Georgia, and Michigan to boost Stein – in the hopes of siphoning votes from Harris. With the stakes sky high, no one can afford to fall for Republicans’ dirty tricks by voting third party.

Across the country, swing-state leaders are making that very point and sounding the alarm on the right’s deceptive tactics. Read these opinion pieces from Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens, former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Butch Hollowell, Wisconsin State Rep. Francesca Hong, and State Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes.

With less than four days before the polls close, MoveOn Political Action is doing its part to make the case to working-class voters. In partnership with Working Families Party National PAC and Future Forward (FF PAC), we launched an ad called “Backs” to reach late-deciding, less-political voters. The ad is part of a larger $100 million ad buy to make the final push to help Vice President Harris over the finish line. 

And good riddance to Cornel West in Pennsylvania! Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Cornel West’s desperate attempt to force polling places to advertise his write-in effort. To boost Trump’s campaign, RFK Jr. had sought, but ultimately failed, to remove his name from the ballot in Michigan and Wisconsin.

More happenings from third-party candidates this week:

• ABC: Third-party candidates could be swing-state spoilers even after intense Democrat efforts
• Politico: RFK Jr. claims Trump pledged to give him ‘control’ of HHS, USDA
• USA Today: Cornel West asks Supreme Court to make PA polling sites advertise him as a write-in option
• The New York Times: Supreme Court Declines to Remove R.F.K. Jr. From Michigan and Wisconsin Ballots 
• The Atlantic: Revenge Voting Is a Mistake
• CBS: Some liberal voters will choose third-party candidate, could play major role in tight presidential race

USA Today: Opinion: Voting third party may hand 2024 election to a most rotten apple

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