Gloucester Times | Abortion rights groups oppose Diehl's candidacy

By Christian Wade
Story Originally Appeared in North of Boston Publications

BOSTON — Women’s reproductive rights groups are lining up in opposition of Republican Geoff Diehl’s bid for Massachusetts governor over his stance on abortion.

Following Diehl’s victory in Tuesday’s primary, a coalition of groups issued a statement Thursday “sounding the alarm” about the Whitman Republican’s record on abortion rights, claiming that as a state lawmaker he has co-sponsored “multiple” bills that would ban or restrict the procedure.

The groups said a Diehl administration would pose a threat to “patients, providers and reproductive freedom” in this deep-blue state where abortion is protected by a new law.

“Geoff Diehl’s candidacy is a grave threat to patients and providers,” said Nate Horwitz-Willis, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts. “Diehl is a fixture of the anti-abortion movement in Massachusetts — he’s even filed legislation to jail doctors for providing abortion care.”

The groups point out that Diehl’s campaign is backed by the Massachusetts Citizens for Life, a group that opposes abortion, and claim he has praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other elected officials who support laws banning or restricting access to abortions.

Not surprisingly, the groups have endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey, calling her “a national leader in protecting access to reproductive health care.”

“Healey has consistently fought for patients’ right to access reproductive health care in the face of the worst attacks on reproductive freedom in 50 years, challenging unconstitutional abortion restrictions across the country and taking on the Trump administration for its attacks on birth control access, Title X, and abortion via telehealth,” the groups stated.

Nationwide, abortion rights are expected to be a key issue for many American voters, particularly Democrats, in the upcoming mid-term elections.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade upended federal protections by ruling that the Constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to an abortion, leaving it up to states to regulate the procedure. Dozens of states have banned or restricted abortions in response to the ruling.

Abortion is legal in Massachusetts under a two-year-old law, but the state is expected to become a “sanctuary” for women coming from other states that have banned the procedure or tightened their laws following the court’s ruling.

In a statement, Diehl accused Planned Parenthood and other groups of trying to "scare voters" and "make this election about something that it is not."

Diehl, who describes himself as "pro-life", called the ROE Act "one of the most radical abortion laws in the nation" and said he specifically objects to provisions authorizing the procedure after 24 weeks under certain situations and lowering the age of consent from a parent or judge to get an abortion from 18 to 16.

"I personally disagree with the ROE Act because I believe in the importance of protecting innocent life whenever possible," Diehl said. "As governor, I will focus on working with the Legislature to amend the law on these two points, which I believe that the public agrees are too extreme."

Healey, in stark contrast, has vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to uphold existing abortion laws and expand access to the procedure, if elected.

“As long as I’m governor, we will always protect access to safe, legal abortion,” Healey said in remarks during Tuesday’s primary.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, a moderate who supports abortion and has taken steps to expand access, isn’t seeking a third term this year.

To be sure, Baker vetoed those portions of the ROE Act that Diehl now wants to change, but Democrats overrode his objections.

Reproductive rights groups say they are worried that the hard-fought protections could be in jeopardy if Diehl takes over the governor’s office next year.

“This year, across the country, reproductive freedom is on the ballot and Massachusetts is no exception,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, executive director of Reproductive Equity Now. “With a federal abortion ban looming in the coming years, Massachusetts cannot afford to have a Trump-backed, anti-abortion leader in the governor’s office.”