Pro-Choice Candidate of the Day: Senator Ralph Northam, Senate District 6

We’re less than two weeks away from one of the biggest elections for reproductive choice in Virginia in years. On Tuesday, November 8, Virginians will go to the polls to vote on all 140 General Assembly seats. All this week on the blog, we are spotlighting pro-choice candidates of the day in key races across the state, so you know who will stand up for women’s rights and health in Richmond and who we’re working to help elect this fall!

Senator Ralph Northam

Today we continue our pro-choice spotlight by heading to the Tidewater and Eastern Shore region of Virginia and Senate District 6, which encompasses all of Accomack, Northampton and Mathews counties, and portions of the cities of Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

In this race, Senator Ralph Northam is the pro-choice candidate.

Senator Northam, an M.D. specializing in pediatric neurology, has been an outspoken and tireless champion for women’s health while in the state Senate. Like other senators in this week’s spotlights, Senator Northam is a vital member of the Senate Committee on Education and Health, where bills dealing with abortion and reproductive choice and health are heard. Strong pro-choice leadership on this committee is one of the last obstacles in the General Assembly to stop the anti-choice agenda of Governor Bob McDonnell and his allies. That’s part of the reason anti-choice politicians are working so hard to unseat Senator Northam.

As a practicing physician, Sen. Northam brings important experience and expertise to the committee, where he has often spoken to debunk anti-choice claims and provide perspective on the medical realities of reproductive choice and health issues. He has also been a leader on ensuring that Virginia’s young people receive the effective sex education they need to prevent pregnancy and protect their health. In the 2011 session, for instance, he patroned S.B. 967, a bill to ensure that Family Life Education programs in Virginia schools are medically-accurate and evidence-based. Sen. Northam has also spoken out on the issue of so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” and the importance of making sure that these anti-choice organizations are not able to deceive Virginia women or provide them with medically-inaccurate information.

Senator Northam is being challenged by anti-choice candidate Ben Loyola, Jr. Not only will Mr. Loyola fully support the radical McDonnell-Cuccinelli agenda in Richmond (the governor not only endorsed, but promised to help campaign with Loyola), but he has shown his anti-choice positions in his own right. In fact, he sponsored a fundraiser for a deceptive anti-choice “crisis pregnancy center” that misinforms Tidewater women about abortion, birth control and reproductive health. To have an anti-choice candidate like Ben Loyola in the state Senate, particularly in place of a tireless public health advocate like Senator Northam, would be a detriment to women’s health in Virginia.

As we’ve noted before, Virginia’s state Senate is currently what we call “mixed-choice.” When votes on abortion and other reproductive rights issues come to the floor of the Senate, we do not have a reliable pro-choice majority. We saw the real consequences of this scenario earlier this year as anti-choice legislators snuck through S.B. 924, a bill singling out women’s health centers for new, politically-motivated regulations. As a champion of women’s health, Senator Northam voted against this law because he recognized these regulations for what they are – government intrusion into the private medical decisions of Virginia women that would actually put women’s health and rights in greater danger.

Senator Ralph Northam is strong pro-choice leader in Richmond who we can count on to keep working hard for women’s rights, privacy and health. Learn how you can get involved to get out the pro-choice vote by visiting our Elections page.  Make sure to get out and vote on Tuesday, November 8 and remind all your pro-choice friends to do the same! Share this post and remind people of the importance of their vote for protecting the future of choice in Virginia!

By NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia PAC staff. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Celebrating the Summer of Choice

By Autumn Reinhardt Simpson

I really do have to hand it to my husband. He’s suffered through so much just to make me happy. He’s tagged along to death row, opened our house to unknown Japanese protesters and supported me in all my endeavors, however foreign to him. This past weekend found him accompanying me to Germantown, Maryland for the inaugural Summer of Choice hosted by Abortionclinics.org.

Summer of Choice is a direct answer to confrontational anti-abortion rights group Operation Rescue, which has focused on Dr. Le Roy Carhart for its “Summer of Mercy 2.0,” the next generation of mass harassing tactics intended to shut down targeted reproductive health centers for good. Dr. Carhart’s Germantown clinic decided to close for the week, rather than have his patients walk the gauntlet.

Sunday, July 31^st was the Kick-Off Walk, which was attended by approximately 200 supporters of women’s health from across the country. In attendance were students, grandparents, politicians and people of all stripes. My husband, ever the good sport, allowed himself to be slathered in pro-choice and feminist stickers (as well as copious amounts of sunscreen) and took to the streets with us. We walked a route of about one mile around Dr. Carhart’s clinic, waving signs and getting lots of honks and shouts of support. The police presence was strong and very respectful (interesting observation – nearly all the Montgomery County officers I saw during this event were women! Right on, Montgomery County!)

The anti-choice crowd decided to hold their event at 6 PM, long after many of the pro-choice crowd left to attend a poetry reading at a local church. However, there was one anti-choice person in a dark blue shirt sporting the phrase “pro-life” walking along the route, videotaping us and making sarcastic comments. Luckily, this was all we saw of the anti-choice side for that day. But their presence could be felt in other ways. Part of our hot and sticky route took us past a sign for a local “crisis pregnancy center,” a grim irony that was not lost on us. After posing for photos, we quickly moved on, eager for shade and water.

The beauty of an event such as the Kick-Off Walk was that it not only raised money for the Abortion Access Fund, but that it brought many people together who were not aware of the opportunities for action to be found in their own backyards. I met a man from Richmond, VA who was interested in joining my clinic defense team and another walker put the idea in my head to look into training to become a victim’s advocate. For “lone defenders” like myself, such gatherings are as source of knowledge and energy.

The Kick-Off Walk was great and the rest of the week has been filled with activities and chances to show support to Dr. Carhart and other providers. This weekend, others will gather for continued peaceful pro-choice presence. At a time when state legislatures are persistently undermining women’s access to healthcare, it is so important that we stand with the brave providers who face harassment and threats of violence every day. So grab a friend or two and go stand for choice this weekend.

Senator Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk

Welcome back to our new, regular blog series, Virginia Political Pro(choice)files. In this segment, we highlight Virginia’s state politicians who support and fight for women’s reproductive rights while also drawing attention to politicians who are working to undermine the constitutional right to safe and legal abortion. To see how all General Assembly members stacked up in 2011, check out our Legislative Scorecard!

The Political Pro(choice)files: Senator Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk

As a representative for Norfolk in the Virginia General Assembly, Ralph Northam has been an ally of women and a great advocate for comprehensive sexual education throughout his four years in office. He was first elected in 2007 and will be running in a very competitive election this November.

Ralph Northam was one of three Virginia state senators involved in proposing legislation in 2010 to reign in the bad habits of Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Northam, along with Senator Craig Deeds, Senator John Edwards, and Senator Dave Marsden, proposed a bill to regulate Virginia’s Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs)—regulations that would include a notice on the buildings stating that the facilities are not licensed, comprehensive healthcare centers. This bill went on to require that the facility include in the posted notice that it does not perform or refer women for abortions or contraception and that the facility is not required to adhere to confidentiality laws in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

As a pediatric neurologist, Northam knows that providing misleading and inaccurate medical information to women is dangerous and inappropriate. Women need to know that many CPCs have no obligation to respect their privacy.

Senator Northam, along with Delegates Charniele Herring and David Englin, participated in a press conference following the release of our research project exposing CPCs and showed nothing but support for women in need of accurate information in the midst of a difficult decision:

It is extremely important that these young women are able to seek medical advice that is in their best interest of their health … it’s important for women that seek advice from these centers to know what they offer and what they don’t offer and that’s exactly what this bill is intended to do. The bill, I think, will insure that expectant women will receive what I consider factual-based medical information and be able to make decisions that are in the best interest of their health.

The proposed bill also included a section prohibiting any CPC in violation of the prior regulations from receiving any funds derived from the Virginia Choose Life Fund license plates.

Although the bill was passed by indefinitely, it was successful in bringing some much needed attention to the issues surrounding CPCs.

In the last session of the General Assembly, Senator Northam also patroned SB 967, a bill that requires Virginia school districts to teach medically accurate and evidence-based programs that fall under the guidelines of Family Life Education. Although this bill passed in the Senate, it was unfortunately “left to die” in the House Committee on Education.

Clearly, Northam has shown that he is a strong supporter of women’s rights and his medical background gives him a solid perspective in regards to bills that involve women’s health.

We Have a New YouTube Channel—Check it Out!!!

By Brooke

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia has a new YouTube Channel! Use it to stay up to date with all of our projects and events. In the last year we have exposed Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s War on Women, released videos detailing our investigation of Crisis Pregnancy Centers, sent highlights from the General Assembly session and more! Click here to subscribe to our channel and keep up with the latest NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia news.

Governor McDonnell’s War on Women: By the Numbers

What I learned at a Crisis Pregnancy Center

Ending deceptive practices, one CPC at a time

This ad probably does not give you the help you are looking for.

In fact, this ad is not a health care provider at all. Yet, “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs) do their best to pretend they are. They do their best to trick people into their doors often only to present them with lies and shame.

But we’re doing something to change that.

Nearly 400 of you stood up against the deception and signed our petition asking a new CPC in Chesterfield, Virginia to break the mold and reject the misinformation, shaming, and other deceptive practices of CPCs around the state.

And guess what? We just took a step forward.

Following our petition campaign, the Chesterfield CPC has a disclaimer on its homepage saying it does not provide or refer for birth control or abortion!

This may seem like a small accomplishment. However, at a time when CPCs actively mislead women about what services they provide, this is one step in the right direction  toward ending deceptive practices and ensuring that CPCs are honest and upfront in their communication. And we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks!

This victory goes to show that, by keeping the pressure on and continuing to raise awareness, we can ensure that women and couples facing unintended pregnancies can access accurate information and know which facilities will provide them with medically based and unbiased information, referrals, and counseling for all pregnancy options; and which ones will not.

You can help raise continued awareness of CPCs in Virginia by:

• Submitting a letter to the editor or an op-ed piece to your local newspaper.
• Helping us bring one of our “Crisis Pregnancy Center Road Tour” events to your community.
• Making a contribution to NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia today to invest in our work on this and other reproductive rights and health issues! Sign up to volunteer with us!

Contact joey@naralva.org if you have any questions about getting more involved.

Thanks again for all you do to promote reproductive justice in Virginia!