Democratic candidates focus on abortion during 'Contract with Women' tour

Oct. 27—NEW ALBANY — Abortion was among the top issues discussed by Democratic candidates at a recent stop in New Albany.

Four candidates visited the Floyd County Democratic Headquarters in downtown New Albany Thursday as part of the Indiana Democratic Party's statewide "Contract with Women" tour.

The visit featured Democratic candidates running for federal and state seats in Indiana, including U.S. Senate candidate Tom McDermott, who is challenging Republican Sen. Todd Young, and Libertarian James Sceniak.

The Democratic candidates expressed opposition to the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade and the passing of a near-total abortion ban by Indiana's Republican-led legislature.

Indiana's abortion ban has faced multiple legal challenges, and the Indiana Supreme Court will likely review the law in January.

U.S. SENATE RACE

McDermott said protecting abortion rights is his biggest priority as he runs for U.S. Senate, and he believes in codifying Roe v. Wade on a federal level. He serves as mayor of Hammond, in the Chicago area.

"Women who live three miles to our west have more civil liberties than my wife does and my daughter does," he said. "That's why I'm in this. Some people say, how can you be so bugged about this, you're a man, Roe v. Wade's overturning doesn't apply to you."

"But when my wife is being discriminated against and my daughter is being discriminated against, the men in their lives have to be all in, and I'm all in," he said.

McDermott criticized Young for confirming three of the Supreme Court justices who chose to overturn Roe v. Wade.

During an Oct. 16 debate, Young said he believes the issue of abortion should be left up to the states. He describes himself as a "pro-life" candidate who has supported numerous anti-abortion bills, according to his campaign page.

Young has focused on issues of inflation in his campaign. At the debate, he said Hoosiers are "hurting" as they struggle with increased costs.

"They are hurting as a result of the multi-trillion-dollar, tax-and-spend policies of the Biden administration," Young said.

McDermott said it is important to address inflation, but he described Young as "two-faced" in his approach to the issue.

"Obviously inflation is a problem, and I think government spending is a big part of that problem," he said. "My opponent added $16 trillion to the nation's debt, and he's complaining about inflation."

He said he considers inflation to be a "No. 2 issue," but he criticized Young for making it "his biggest issue."

"If we're going to let women be permanently discriminated against, if temporary problems like inflation are going to overshadow that, I fear for our country," McDermott said.

U.S. HOUSE DISTRICT 9 RACE

At Thursday's event, Democratic candidate Matt Fyfe said he wants to see abortion rights protected at the federal level. He is running against Republican Erin Houchin and Libertarian Tonya Millis for the District 9 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"When I go out to talk to voters, particularly when I talk to women, they're angry, they're worried, and they're ready to stand up and vote for change," he said. "And the No. 1 thing they ask about, the thing they want a guarantee on, is that I'm going to defend them, that I'm going to stand up for them and that I'm going to vote in the right way for their rights."

Fyfe said he also supports guaranteed access to contraceptives and improved policies for parental leave and child care, saying "these are policies that are important to everybody."

He said "we need politicians who are willing to stand up and make decisions that will keep our government out of health care, that will keep it in the hands of medical professionals and women."

Houchin is campaigning as "pro-life" candidate, according to her campaign website. In the News and Tribune's voters guide, she describes herself as having a "record of fighting for our conservative principles and succeeding."

In the voters guide, she describes her priorities as addressing "crippling inflation to improve our economy and create more high-paying jobs, fighting the illegal immigration crisis and securing the southern border" and "improving access to health care and education."

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 47 RACE

Democrat Katie Forte is running against incumbent State Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, in the race for District 47 in the Indiana Senate. She described Byrne as having an "extremist agenda," and she said she would support "common sense measures."

She emphasized her opposition to the abortion ban passed by Indiana legislators, saying she "trusts women and their doctors to make the best health care decisions for themselves and their families."

"I do not believe that 10-year-old rape victims should be forced to give birth, as does my opponent," Forte said.

Byrne voted in favor of Indiana's abortion ban, and in the News and Tribune voters guide, he said he "will always stand for the unborn innocent life who has no voice." Although he voted for the ban, he did not support the exceptions in the legislation, the Statehouse File reported in July.

According to the voters guide, Byrne emphasizes his "proven conservative record," and he said his top priority is tackling inflation and addressing "damage caused by the Biden administration and its policies."

INDIANA HOUSE DISTRICT 66 RACE

Democrat Nancy McDevitt is running against Republican incumbent Zach Payne for the District 66 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives.

At Thursday's event, she said she believes Indiana's abortion bill was put together "too quickly," and she believes it is "too extreme for everyone."

"I've talked to moderates, liberals, everybody, and they don't like the bill — it's too extreme, and we need to redo it," she said.

McDevitt said "we have to come back to supporting our people instead of letting that one group control all of us."

"We're going the wrong way — we're taking away rights," she said.

In the News and Tribune voters guide, Payne describes himself as a "principled, conservative advocate for everyday working Hoosiers," and he said addressing issues related to inflation would be among his priorities.

Payne voted in favor of the abortion ban, and he supports the legislation "because it saves lives," he said in the voters guide.