Dem Rep. McClellan: ‘Economic Opportunity’ a ‘Critically Important Aspect’ of Abortion, Abortion Is Tied to Democracy

On Tuesday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “The Hill,” Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) responded to a question on whether the 2024 election will be about abortion and the economy by stating that “economic opportunity is [a] critically important aspect of reproductive freedom.” She also argued that abortion and democracy are on the ballot and there’s a connection between the two.

Host Blake Burman asked, “[W]e’ve seen the leader of your party make abortion front and center. But when you look [at] Decision Desk HQ polling, what is the most important issue in deciding who to vote for in 2024? Economy, 40%, immigration, [17%], abortion, 8%. Is this going to be the centerpiece of the Democratic campaign?”

McClellan responded, “It’s going to be a major centerpiece of the Democratic campaign because reproductive freedom and democracy are both on the ballot and they are connected and the president made perfectly clear that both of those issues are on the ballot today, and that only one ticket, and that is Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, are fighting to protect our democracy and fighting to protect reproductive freedom. And just like in Virginia, Ohio, and Kansas, voters came out to protect reproductive freedom. They’re going to do so nationwide.”

Burman then asked, “I hear you on the results, Congresswoman, and those are indisputable, no matter what you think about abortion, we have seen how it’s played in elections, but I think you would also agree — and you know the famous political line, it’s the economy, stupid. And so, I wonder if you think, at the end of the day, this is going to be an election, whoever crosses the finish line, about abortion or the economy?”

McClellan answered, “It’ll probably be a bit of both. But economic opportunity is [a] critically important aspect of reproductive freedom. They are connected as well. And I think it is important to understand that while we also campaign on the economy, we are campaigning on making sure that we protect reproductive freedom.”

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