Abortion rights a key issue for Trudy Busch Valentine in Columbia stop at Democratic headquarters
Trailing in the polls, Democratic nominee for United States Senate Trudy Busch Valentine placed abortion rights front and center among campaign issues speaking Friday at the Boone County Democratic Party office in Columbia.
Her Republican opponent is Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
She talked one-on-one with many of the around 75 attending before giving a version of her stump speech. That's when Ann Giddens, of Columbia, spoke up about her anger over the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.
"It just pisses me off," Giddens told Valentine.
Valentine shared the feeling, she said.
"People are going to die," Valentine said. "The wealthy people are going to be able to go anywhere they need to go. We can't go backwards."
It was her first issue when giving the Democrats a version of her stump speech, saying women should have the freedom to make their own health care decisions, including the decision to have an abortion.
"We cannot take women back 50 years," she said, to applause.
A nurse, Valentine said America needs a nurse, which is why she's running for U.S. Senate.
"I will be nobody's senator but yours," Valentine said, using a theme from her campaign.
She brought up Schmitt's support of Chinese ownership of Missouri farmland, saying she would stand up to foreign interests.
"Our country is at a crossroads," Valentine said. "The politics of the extreme right poses a real danger to our country."
This weekend starts the get-out-the vote phase of Valentine's campaign, a worker said.
"Let's make some history and send the first nurse and another woman to the United States Senate," Valentine said.
Speaking with reporters, she said she attributes her being behind in the polls to the fact that Schmitt is a politician and she's not.
She tried to be herself and focus on issues, she said.
Quality and affordable health care is an important issue in rural Missouri, where hospitals are shuttering, she said.
"I'm just being who I am," Valentine said. "I'm not in this for ego or power."
Valentine will be in the Mizzou Homecoming Parade on Saturday. She also plans to knock on doors.
Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Abortion rights a key issue for Valentine in Columbia stop
