We asked key NC Republicans about abortion. Only one tried to answer | Opinion

It’s not unreasonable to expect an elected official to live up to the promises they made on the campaign trail.

Especially not when the reproductive freedom of North Carolinians hinges upon them keeping that promise.

Last week, North Carolina Republicans unveiled a lengthy bill that would ban abortion after 12 weeks, with some exceptions. With a veto override vote looming, all eyes are on a handful of lawmakers who vowed not to support further restrictions on abortion while campaigning for the offices they now hold.

Rep. John Bradford, a Republican who represents a highly competitive district in northern Mecklenburg County, told media outlets ahead of the election that he had “no intentions” of making North Carolina’s current 20-week law more restrictive.

And, in an interview last October, Bradford told the Editorial Board that he would “prefer to just leave [the current law] on the books.”

“That law has been on the books since before I was born,” Bradford told the Editorial Board then. “So, look, I support the law … That’s a pretty clear position, where I am, where I’ve been, and I think we can have that law remain on our books, and continue to focus on other things that I think are equally important.”

But Bradford voted in favor of the GOP’s 12-week abortion ban on the House floor last week.

We asked Bradford to explain why he supported the bill, given his past statements. Bradford responded by saying the proposed legislation “maintains access for all women.”

“Sadly, the radical left along with Governor Cooper is attempting to mislead the public,” Bradford told the Editorial Board. “This bill represents a reasonable compromise and will be viewed as such in the end.”

That’s a deflection that doesn’t answer our question, so we tried again, asking Bradford what he’d say to voters who are wondering why he supports the bill despite his past comments.

This time, Bradford did not respond.

Bradford is not the only legislator who appeared to go back on his word. Rep. Tricia Cotham, the Democrat-turned-Republican from Mecklenburg County, also voted for the bill, despite a long history of supporting abortion rights throughout her political career.

Last year, Cotham tweeted saying “we need leaders who will be unwavering and unapologetic in their support of abortion rights.” If elected, she promised to “continue [her] strong record of defending the right to choose.” Cotham consistently opposed abortion restrictions during her previous stint in the legislature, even speaking on the House floor in 2015 about her own experience with abortion.

So what happened?

We don’t know. Cotham did not respond to a request for comment from the Editorial Board.

There’s also Rep. Ted Davis, a New Hanover County Republican who said last year he supports “what the law is in North Carolina right now” and insisted that House Speaker Tim Moore wouldn’t dictate how he votes on the issue.

Davis was not present for the House vote last week. But Moore told reporters after the vote that all 72 House Republicans are on board with the bill and overriding the veto will not be an issue. Davis did not respond to an inquiry from the Editorial Board.

Gov. Roy Cooper has openly pleaded for these Republicans to keep their promises and vote to sustain his veto. Cooper is also focusing on a fourth lawmaker, Sen. Michael Lee of New Hanover County, who said during the election he does not support restricting abortion during the first trimester. Lee has pushed back, saying the bill does exactly what he said he would support. But Democrats argue that the additional provisions littered throughout the bill do restrict a person’s ability to obtain an abortion before 12 weeks. While that is true, targeting Lee is a bit of a reach.

Were lawmakers like Bradford and Cotham just saying what they thought would help get them elected? Or have they truly had a change of heart? Voters don’t know, and that’s the problem.

Some Republicans have suggested that Cooper and other Democrats are attempting to “bully” lawmakers into voting the way they want them to. But expecting people to keep their word to voters isn’t bullying. It’s being held accountable.

There’s still time for these lawmakers to do the right thing. Voters deserve better than politicians who say one thing and do another. And most of all, they deserve elected officials they can trust will keep the promises they make.