DeGroot, Sherrill clash over abortion restrictions as congressional race heats up

As the November election nears, the race for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District is heating up, with abortion taking center stage in the contest between U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill and her Republican challenger, Paul DeGroot.

Under sustained attack from Sherrill and other Democrats, DeGroot held an online news conference Thursday to refute what he says are false claims in campaign ads that he "supports states being able to ban abortions without exception."

"I am a pragmatic outsider who respects New Jersey law giving the woman the right to choose," DeGroot, a Montville resident and former Passaic County assistant prosecutor, told reporters. "I support health care for women, allowing them to make their own health care decisions."

The ads appear to reference comments DeGroot made following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in July to strike down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and with it a constitutional right to abortion. DeGroot at the time declined to condemn or endorse the ruling, saying only that abortion laws should be left to the states.

New Jersey has some of the most expansive abortion protections in the nation, allowing women to terminate a pregnancy without time limit or other restrictions. But other states have imposed severe limits since the Supreme Court's Dobbs ruling was announced.

"Paul DeGroot has no respect for a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, including on abortion," Sherrill campaign manager Jackie Burns said in a statement Thursday. "Just this week we saw, once again, what happens when Roe protections are gone as West Virginia passed a severe, sweeping abortion ban."

The district covers most of Morris County and parts of Passaic and Essex counties. Sherrill, a Montclair Democrat, is seeking her third term.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, introduced a bill this week that would outlaw abortions nationwide after the 15th week of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest and threats to a mother's health. The measure stands no chance of advancing in the Democratic-controlled Senate, but control of both chambers of Congress is up for grabs in the November midterms.

DeGroot clarifies abortion stance

Pressed to clarify his personal stance on abortion during the news conference, DeGroot eventually said he would support some exceptions to any federal ban, including for cases of rape or incest or medical danger to the mother.

"I would be comfortable with somewhere along the line of a 20-week window," he said. "I stand with the majority on this issue, with the country and the district."

"The Dobbs decision, I believe, is clear," he said. "I don't want New Jersey to have Alabama laws and values, South Carolina laws and values, forced upon us, nor would I look to take Jersey values and laws and force them upon South Carolina or Alabama."

DeGroot accused Sherrill and the Democratic Party of using abortion to distract voters from issues he feels voters should be concerned with, including inflation and the federal cap on deducting state and local property taxes that Sherrill has so far failed to rescind.

Roe v. Wade: Find all the coverage from NorthJersey.com here

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"Mikie Sherrill is the radical that is out of step with New Jersey voters," he said. "She wants to use abortion as a wedge and she's baked this issue [into the campaign]. We need to stop using abortion as a tool of fear."

Sherrill released an online commercial this month with a Livingston nurse who recalled watching a teenage patient die after an illegal abortion in pre-Roe days. DeGroot's stance would allow states to ban abortions completely and lead to more such tragedies, she said. A recent mailer to 11th District voters, meanwhile, said the Republican "will follow extremist anti-abortion politicians in Washington."

“Paul DeGroot has resorted to some pretty ugly tactics trying to revive his flailing campaign," said Burns, Sherrill's campaign manager. "The decision to have an abortion should be between a woman and her doctor and not politicians.”

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com 

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This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: DeGroot, Sherrill talk abortion in NJ congressional race