State-level candidates' stances on reproductive rights run gamut

Oct. 25—In just a couple of weeks, New Hampshire residents will cast their ballots in the state's general election. And as Monadnock Region voters mull over their choices, many have said that where candidates stand on reproductive rights is a main priority.

The Sentinel asked local voters what is important for them this election cycle through a survey, and collected responses from the end of July to mid-October.

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June, nearly 42 percent of the 72 respondents listed reproductive rights as a top issue of interest for them. Many specifically wanted to know where candidates stand on abortion rights and what they would do in office about access to the procedure in New Hampshire.

The stances of those vying for state-level seats are mixed.

A recurring hot-button topic for the N.H. Executive Council is whether to include funding in state contracts for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, which has an office in Keene, and two other family-planning providers.

The five-member council approves receipts and expenditures of state and federal funds, confirms the appointment of judges and commissioners and hears pardon requests.

Democratic incumbent Cinde Warmington — representing District 2, which covers the Elm City and much of the Monadnock Region — is the only councilor to vote for approving these contracts in the past two years.

Last week, the Concord resident doubled down on that opinion, saying she "100 percent" supports funding these programs.

"I hope that, in the next council, that we will have a council composed of people who will put public health over politics because that's really what this has been all about," Warmington, 64, said.

Those against the funding have voiced concern that the money could be used for abortion services.

However, program providers have said — and a state audit confirmed — that such funding is kept separate and not used for that purpose. Instead, these dollars are used for cancer screenings, contraceptives and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

Warmington's opponent in the Nov. 8 election, N.H. Sen. Harold French, said it's Planned Parenthood and similar organizations' "philosophy" that makes him not agree with funding them.

He explained that after Gov. Chris Sununu signed a partial abortion ban into law — which prohibits most abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy — Planned Parenthood "took out hundreds of thousands of ads" against Republicans.

"It made me realize Planned Parenthood's philosophy is abortion, at will, up to the time of birth," French, 65, of Canterbury, said. "That type of philosophy I consider evil, and I will not ever support any group with a philosophy of evil."

Kayla Montgomery, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, said the organization's mission is to provide patients with "affordable, quality, compassionate, non-judgemental health care."

"Granite Staters deserve the right to make their own reproductive health decisions and freedom to access the information and care they need — including comprehensive sex education, birth control, emergency contraception, well person exams, abortion, and more," she said in an email. "This care is timely, patient-centered and helps create keep Granite Staters healthy."

Sununu's campaign spokesman Ben Vihstadt — who answered a list of questions on the Republican governor's behalf — said via email that Sununu would support "additional flexibilities to the law" if re-elected.

Unlike states like Massachusetts and New York, where abortion laws make an exception for a pregnant person's health, New Hampshire's law is more restrictive, making an exception only when "a pregnant woman's life or major bodily function is threatened," or for a fatal fetal anomaly.

The law makes no exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, and carries criminal and civil penalties for doctors who violate it.

Vihstadt said Sununu, 47, of Newfields, is open to eliminating the physician-penalty component, as well as adding an exception for rape or incest.

But Vihstadt said the governor's main health priority if re-elected for a fourth term would be continuing his work to improve the state's mental health system.

Vihstadt specifically highlighted the Sununu administration's investment in mobile mental health crisis teams, the construction of a new psychiatric hospital in Concord and other efforts to shrink the list of people waiting for inpatient psychiatric care.

Democratic opponent N.H. Sen. Tom Sherman, a gastroenterologist, said "abortion is much more critical than the governor thinks."

"He thinks he signed into law something that doesn't change anything; it changes things dramatically," said Sherman, 64, of Rye.

Beyond the health risks and penalties for physicians, Sherman argued that this law also will further stint the number of doctors wanting to practice in New Hampshire.

"Nobody in their right mind is going to come to New Hampshire to work in a medical practice, where practicing appropriate medicine could land you a felony conviction," he said.

Other priorities for Sherman if elected would include legalizing recreational, adult-use cannabis and addressing the mental-health and opioid crises.

In the race for the N.H. Senate District 10 seat — covering most of Cheshire County — Republican Sly Karasinski said he believes New Hampshire's abortion law is "saving lives," according to questionnaire responses he submitted to The Sentinel.

"I am Pro Life and it pains me to compromise on this issue," wrote Karasinski, 58, of Swanzey. "The ultimate goal is to save lives, and babies in the womb have the Right to Life."

He added that any future legislation should be more stringent than the current law by instituting the ban earlier in pregnancies.

"The Democrats have argued for unrestricted aborting of babies up to and including partial birth, too extreme for New Hampshire," he wrote.

N.H. Rep. Donovan Fenton, a 33-year-old Keene Democrat also vying for the seat, said in his questionnaire responses he is in favor of "overturning this outright ban."

"This decision should be between a woman and her doctor, not the legislature," he wrote. "New Hampshire should codify a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions into our constitution ... The overturning [of] Roe v. Wade and the abortion ban right here in NH serves as a harsh reminder to voters why statewide elections matter."

For more on the candidates, sample ballots and other voting information, visit sentinelsource.com/vote.

Funding for the Monadnock Region Health Reporting Lab comes from several sources, including The Sentinel and several local businesses and private donors. We continue to seek additional support. The newsroom maintains full editorial control over all content produced by the lab.

Olivia Belanger can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1439, or obelanger@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBelangerKS.