Montana Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock announced his plan to seek his party’s nomination for president in 2020, just days after vetoing a bill that would protect babies who survive abortion from infanticide.
Bullock vetoed State Senate Bill 354, which states, “viable, born-alive infants may not be deprived of medically appropriate and reasonable medical treatment.”
According to Politico, Bullock said he vetoed the bill because it “is a reflection of a divisive national debate that has little to do with the health of infants or women.”
“Once again Governor Bullock sides with abortion extremists, going so far as to veto compassionate, popular legislation designed to provide care for children who survive failed abortions,” said Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “Governor Bullock is no moderate when it comes to abortion, and we’re exposing his extremist record to the voters.”
As The Washington Free Beacon observed, though President Donald Trump won Montana in 2016 with 56 percent of the vote, Bullock, a two-term governor, won re-election with 50.3 percent of the vote, with his campaign billing himself as a moderate Democrat.
“If Democrat extremism on abortion wasn’t already clear, look at supposed moderate Democrat governor Steve Bullock’s veto—a bill that would simply protect babies who are born alive from being killed is a bridge to far for even the most centrist Democrat,” said Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project.
Republicans in the state legislature are falling short of the two-thirds majority required to overturn Bullock’s veto.
SBA List will continue its radio and digital campaign to expose Bullock’s claim to be a moderate Democrat. The group also plans to expose North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who vetoed Born-Alive legislation in his state.
Wisconsin Democrat Gov. Tony Evers also said he will veto his state’s Born-Alive legislation that would require immediate medical care for infants who survive an abortion.
Evers said the Born-Alive measure is “redundant” and “not a productive use of time.”
At a rally in Wisconsin at the end of April, Trump rebuked Evers for his stance on the legislation.
“Your Democrat governor here in Wisconsin shockingly stated that he will veto legislation that protects Wisconsin babies born alive,” Trump said. “The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, they wrap the baby beautifully, and then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby. I don’t think so. It’s incredible.”
Recent polling by the SBA List found that 77 percent of voters, including 70 percent of Democrats, support legislation to ensure a baby who survives abortion is given the same medical treatment as any other baby born prematurely.