Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights

Post-Roe Leak

Bolduc Cited His Experience In The Army As Justification For Why “All Life Should Be Protected.” According to a press release from Don Bolduc, “General Don Bolduc, Candidate for US Senate in New Hampshire, released the following statement regarding the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court: ‘It’s disgraceful that a Supreme Court decision of this magnitude was leaked to the media in an attempt to shift the national political conversation and the individuals responsible should be investigated and held to account. I am pro-life, and if the Court rules as indicated, I believe they made the right call. After the death and destruction I’ve seen across war-torn places in Afghanistan and Africa, I believe all life should be protected.” [Press Release – Don Bolduc, 5/3/22]

Bolduc Supported The Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade

Bolduc Supported The Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe And Said “That’s Precisely How Our Founding Fathers Intended Our Constitutional Republic To Function.” Don Bolduc tweeted, “Today's SCOTUS opinion does not outlaw abortion, it returns the decision to the individual states. Here in NH, our state has already passed our own laws well before this Court decision. That's precisely how our Founding Fathers intended our Constitutional Republic to function.” [Twitter, @GenDonBolduc, 6/24/22]

[VIDEO] Bolduc Believed That “Human Life Starts Beginning Conception.” “Well, I believe that human life starts beginning conception, and I believe that's irrefutable and it is something that I will always believe in, and always fight for….Nobody gave this government any right to take someone's life unless it's a law for crime and punishment, but other than that, there is no other way. So killing babies is unbelievably irresponsible, and we have to protect them because they cannot protect themselves.” [Bruce Fenton,  Kevin Smith, Don Bolduc, Debate, Windham, NH, 08/14/22]

[VIDEO] Bolduc Supported The Overturn Of Roe V. Wade. “01:10:14 HM : And do you support overturning Roe v Wade briefs overturning of Roe v. Wade? […] 01:10:28 DB: Yes” [Bruce Fenton,  Kevin Smith, Don Bolduc, Debate, Windham, NH, 08/14/22]

Bolduc Was Predicted To Roll Back Reproductive Health Care. According to an opinion by Linda White published in Concord Monitor, “Don Bolduc has demonstrated that he would be a ‘yes’ vote for Mitch McConnell’s agenda of not allowing women the respect to choose by rolling back reproductive health care no matter the circumstances. Bolduc also buys into the lie from the former president that the election was stolen, which it was not. New Hampshire does not need misogynistic influences representing the great people of this state. Vote for Maggie Hassan.” [Linda White – Opinion, Concord Monitor, 8/19/22]

[VIDEO] Bolduc Claimed The Supreme Court Was Right To Send The Topic Of Abortion Back To State Legislation. “23:40 DB: The court did the right thing and sent it back to the states, the govt created destruction and crime and people have ben hurt over this since the feds were involved. Women on both sides have a better chance of being heard by their state reps. NH passed a law consistent with how we feel on abortion. Can’t go past 6 months. Not everyone will agree with that but that is what the majority of NH wants, states in charge.” [Chuck Morse, Don Bolduc, Kevin Smith, Bruce Fenton, Vikram Mansharamani, New Hampshire Senate GOP Debate, New Hampshire, 9/7/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Affirmed His Support Of New Hampshire’s Current State Law On Abortion. Don Bolduc tweeted, “Host: do you support NH’s current state law on abortion? 9:20 DB: yes I support it, it’s a law consistent with a majority of granite staters support if you look at the polls. I am asked about concessions, what concessions will MH give? She believes in partial birth abortion. Where are you going to make concessions? That is the questions that is never asked.” [Don Bolduc, The Pulse of NH, New Hampshire, 9/8/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Stated That Further Conversation Over Roe V. Wade Would Only Create “More Divisiveness, More Hatred, More Violence.” “12:41 Reporter: The Supreme Court decision overturning Roe versus Wade has put abortion very much in the spotlight. And do you worry that in the general election, that could be a challenge for yourself and for other Republicans? […] 12:52 DB: No, I don't worry about it at all. The Supreme Court made a decision. I believe it was the right decision. This is not your issue anymore. An issue in which you have handled terribly at the federal level. You've created more divisiveness, more hatred, more violence over this issue. And now hopefully we can put that behind us. Cooler heads can come together at the state level where I believe women on both sides of the issue will have a better chance of having their voices heard.” [Don Bolduc, Campaign appearance, NH, 09/12/22]

Bolduc Flip-Flopped On His Stance on a National Abortion Ban

Bolduc Appeared To Oppose A National Abortion Ban. According to New Hampshire Public Radio, “During his primary campaign for the Republican Senate nomination, Bolduc often expressed opposition to abortion rights, saying he would ‘always default for a system that protects lives from beginning to end.’ But since winning the GOP nomination, Bolduc appears to be changing his stance. He told reporters late Tuesday night that he would oppose a national abortion ban. He said that after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a constitutional right to abortion in its Dobbs ruling that the matter should be left to states. ‘I believe the federal government should stay out of it,’ Bolduc said Tuesday. ‘The federal government has its hands in too many things. Let the state’s deal with it, and that’s going to be my position.’” [New Hampshire Public Radio, 9/16/22]

Bolduc Claimed That Hassan’s Views On Abortion Were Not Consistent With That Of The “Average” Granite Stater And She Needed To “Get Over It.” According to Daily Kos, “New Hampshire GOP Senate nominee Don Bolduc on Sunday criticized Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) for her focus on the issue of abortion. ‘She just wants to hang on with dear life,’ Buldoc said in an interview with New Hampshire television station WMUR. ‘Well, guess what? Your views are not consistent with the average Granite Stater, number one. Number two, get over it. This is about the economy, fiscal responsibility, and the safety and security of this nation.’” [Daily Kos, 9/19/22]

Hassan Slammed Bolduc For Seeking To Pass A Nationwide Abortion Ban. Maggie Hassan tweeted, “Don Bolduc would help pass a nationwide abortion ban and is telling women to ‘get over it.’ We will not get over it.” [Twitter, @Maggie_Hassan, 9/19/22]

Bolduc Doubled Down On Telling Women To “Get Over” The Threat Of A Nationwide Abortion Ban. Maggie Hassan tweeted, “‘I don’t regret saying it.’ Don Bolduc just doubled down on telling women to “get over” the threat of a nationwide abortion ban.” [Twitter, @Maggie_Hassan, 9/21/22]

Bolduc's Campaign Claimed That Bolduc's Stance Against A National Abortion Ban Was Being Miscontrued By Democrats

Bolduc’s Campaign Consultant Stood By Bolduc’s Advice For Hassan To “Get Over” His Abortion Stance. Rick Wiley tweeted, “He’s right. We hear about sky high grocery bills, panic over this winters’ heating bills, 401k destruction, retirees going back to work, shall I go on?  The media wants to carry the Dems water on this issue. Don’t let them.” [Twitter, @rick_wiley, 9/18/22]

Bolduc Did Not Regret Saying “Get Over It” On The Topic Of Abortion Because He Claimed To Direct That Comment Specifically To Maggie Hassan. “Host: . And on the abortion rights, you apparently said to WMUR, get over it. And now they've sort of run with this as sort of the theme of what she probably wants to run on, making it more about abortion than Joe Biden or inflation or energy and electricity costs. Food costs. You want to clarify, do you regret saying get over it in an interview or what was your point in saying that? DB (00:04:51 -> 00:06:42) No, I don't regret saying it because I was talking specifically to her. The Supreme Court made a decision and that decision was consistent with our Constitution and it went back to the states where it's supposed to be. Our state passed the law consistent with how Granite Staters view the abortion issue. Of course, there's going to be, you know, discussions about it on both sides of the issue. But she doesn't get it. And she needs to get over the fact that she can no longer hang on to this issue and use it as a divisive issue to distract from the really important issues that are affecting Granite's. That comment was specifically at her and of course, what do they do, they take a comment, they twist it, they lie about it, you know, because that's what she does.” [Don Bolduc, Good Morning NH, New Hampshire, 9/21/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Doubled Down On Why Abortion Should Remain A State Issue Based On Federal Money. “17:41 MK: I can't believe it's real enough for that level playing along and it's real, but I believe that the states can reject it. Like, let's talk about the power of the states. I think the states have to take back their power. You know, when when everyone's talking about that, they overturn abortion. I was like, no abortions, not in the Constitution. The Ninth Amendment says that if it's not in the Constitution, it goes back to the states. That simple. Don't you think that the states should be? I feel like the answer is in the States. I feel like the federal government is a total swamp. 18:03  DB:  The Tenth Amendment's establish something very unique among any other nations in the world and within our constitutional republic that limits the federal government supposed to limit the federal government and gives everything else to the states. And and, you know, people think I'm nuts up here because I say state issue. State issue. Right. The state needs to fix it. The state needs to do that. But what's happened is the federal government has bought all the states. They've bought it with federal money. And, you know, in New Hampshire, nearly 40 percent of our budget is federal dollars. …. federal dollars are good if they're applied prudently and for a specific purpose with no strings attached. And then if you show that you have made progress in something, then maybe we'll give you some more.” [Don Bolduc,  Livestream, NH, 09/23/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Claimed That The Matter Of Abortion Was Settled As A State Issue Alongside Social Security And Medicare. “I have been to every town and city, campaigning for 2 years, I talked to moms and dads not knowing if they could heat or feed their children and all she wants to talk about is abortion which has been settled, it is a state issue, social security and Medicare which the Washington Post gave dems 4 Pinocchio’s for saying reps want to demolish it, that is not the case at all.  We have a strong case against her not doing her job for us.” [Don Bolduc, The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, New Hampshire, 9/27/22]  

[AUDIO] Bolduc Claimed That Jeanne Shaheen Agreed With His Stance On Abortion. “But you have to be strong enough to stand to stand up to that. And, you know, you mentioned the abortion issue in every single one of her ads is a lie. And I really feel bad. And I'm sad for the people that she presents in her ads that don't characterize what, I what I believe. And, you know, that is the federal government is out of it. It's a state issue and that's where it stands. And our state has a law, you know. Senator Shaheen agrees. She actually disagrees with Senator Hassan's position. And, you know, this is keep the federal government out of our business. But she consistently put ads out there that lies and characterizes me as some kind of monster when that's not true at all. And so we will have our chance and it'll be on the debate stage and we will also have our chance as we counter her ads.” [Don Bolduc, Livestream, NH, 09/28/22]

[VIDEO] Bolduc Affirmed That He Would Not Be In Favor Of A Federal Abortion Ban. “03:41 DB: My response is what it's been all along since the Supreme Court decision rightly took it out of the federal hands, put it in the state hands. And I do not support a federal ban and I will not support a federal ban. That's end of discussion there. So she's lying about that next. New Hampshire has done the right thing and they've done it consistent with how Granite Staters look at this situation. Nobody's comfortable with abortion that seventh, eighth and ninth month unless the mother's health is in jeopardy. And then a woman, regardless of circumstances of pregnancy, you know, has the choice to get an abortion. Up to 24 weeks, and so they are the extremists, the governor is right, they want no restrictions all the way up to the time of birth and partial birth. And that's just not the way Granite Staters feel. So they're the ones that are the extremists. They're the ones that are out of touch with Granite Staters.” [Don Bolduc, Livestream, NH, 09/30/22]

Bolduc Stated That He Would “Always Default For A System” That Opposes Abortion For The Sake  Of Protecting “Life From Beginning To End.” According to The Hill, “Bolduc, meanwhile, said during the primary that he would ‘always default for a system that protects lives from beginning to end’ but told Fox News after winning the nomination that Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) national 15-week abortion ban ‘makes no sense.’ ‘Women on both sides of the issue will get a better voice at the state level,’ Bolduc told the outlet.” [The Hill, 10/1/22]

Bolduc Detoured From His Economic Message To Explain Why Hassan’s Attacks On His Abortion Stances. According to WMUR, “At one booth at the Red Arrow Diner, the pro-life but anti-federal-abortion-law Bolduc detoured from his economic message to explain why he believes Hassan's attacks against him on abortion are unfair and why he told her to ‘get over it’  in a recent News 9 interview. ‘She's the one that needs to get over it, right?’ Bolduc said. "I didn't say that about women. I didn't say that about the abortion issue." [WMUR, 10/3/22]

Bolduc Sought To Clear Up His “Get Over It” Comment By Explaining That The Sentiment Was Not Against Abortion Or Women, But Maggie Hassan. In a video transcript Don Bolduc stated, “I like to always clear that up, particularly with folks in your age range because there are, it’s just lies. We’re gonna take her on in those lies, and she knows those lies. I’ve been talking about this ever since the Dobbs decision. And when I say, ‘get over it’ she takes that snippet, I said ‘Maggie Hassan needs to get over it.’ She needs to catch up to federal law. She needs to catch up to states’ rights. She’s the one, that needs to get over it. I didn’t say that about women, I didn’t say that about abortion, but they cut that snippet and they use that against me. So I just wanted to clear that up.” [Twitter, @GenDonBolduc, 10/3/22]

Bolduc Promised To “Always Vote for Life.” According to WMUR, “In response, the Hassan campaign released a written statement Monday: ‘Granite Staters aren't going to buy Don Bolduc's latest attempt to cover up his anti-choice record -- which makes clear he would be a 'yes' vote to ban abortion across the country.’ ‘I will always vote for life, right? I will always vote for life,’ Bolduc said. ‘But this issue is not a federal issue anymore. So, in my mind, any issue that comes up at the federal level gets a 'no' vote.’” [WMUR, 10/3/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Affirmed He Was Against A National Abortion Ban But Insisted That The Issue Belonged To The States Nonetheless. “United States Supreme Court made a decision that she doesn't agree with, and the Dobbs decision did not overturn abortion in any way. It removed it from federal purview and gave it to the state's. New Hampshire passed a law no people, pro-choice, pro-life, are going to disagree with it, but at the end of the day, it is New Hampshire's law created by New Hampshire's legislature, approved by its governor, which does support the majority of the views in the Granite State. And so therefore, that is enough. That's the issue. That's where it stays at the state level. I do not support and will not support a federal ban because it will be found unconstitutional and the Supreme Court will look at Congress and go, what didn’t you understand about it’s a state issue? So my response to her is, what don't you understand that it's a state issue and I mentioned Maggie has needs to get over it, but they take the snippet, get over it, and they say, oh, he told women to get over it. I said, no such thing. And I certainly would not sit by and do anything to promote any loss of life.” [Don Bolduc, Town Hall, NH, 10/03/22]

Bolduc Described Himself As Pro-Life But Stated He Would Oppose Any Federal Law Limiting Abortion Rights. According to New Hampshire Public Radio, “Moments later, though, it was Bolduc himself, hunkering down to explain his stance on abortion. He describes himself as pro-life but would oppose any federal law limiting abortion rights, saying it’s an issue best left to individual states. The Hassan campaign has attacked Bolduc on abortion for weeks — most recently highlighting his comment that Hassan should ‘get over’ the Dobbs decision, which eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion. ‘She’s the one that needs to get over it,’ Bolduc said to a couple in their 20s who hadn’t asked him about abortion. “I didn’t say that about women, I didn’t say that about abortion. But they cut that snippet and they use it against me I just wanted to clear that up.” [New Hampshire Public Radio, 10/4/22]

Bolduc Claimed That Abortion Decisions “Belong” To GOP “Gentlemen” State Representatives. According to Huffpost, “New Hampshire GOP Senate nominee Don Bolduc told supporters this week that he thinks the future of abortion rights ‘belongs’ to Republican ‘gentlemen’ state lawmakers, who he claims know best how to give women a voice on their reproductive rights. During a Wednesday night town hall in Auburn, New Hampshire, Bolduc, a retired Army brigadier general, weighed in on whether he thinks abortion rights should be decided at the state level or the federal level. ‘It belongs to the state. It belongs to these gentlemen right here, who are state legislators representing you,’ Bolduc said, motioning to at least two Republican state representatives in the room, Jason Osborne and Jess Edwards.” [Huffpost, 10/8/22]

Bolduc Said Maggie Hassan Needed To “Get On Board” With The Supreme Court Decision On Roe V. Wade. According to Newsweek, “‘She needs to get on board with the Supreme Court decision’ that overturned Roe v. Wade, he said. The court's decision in late June stripped away constitutional protections for abortion and has led to abortion bans in several states.” [Newsweek, 10/10/22]

Bolduc Supported A Law That Would Put Doctors In Jail For Performing Abortions. According to American Independent, “A July 2020 report in the New Hampshire Union Leader noted Bolduc's support for a law that would put doctors in jail for performing abortions. He told the Dover Republican Committee he is ‘unapologetically pro-life,’ and said: ‘I'm not gonna vote contrary to pro-life. I respect life from the beginning to the end.’” [American Independent, 10/10/22]

[VIDEO] Bolduc Claimed That Maggie Hassan Lied About His Abortion. “You saw Bernie Sanders come out yesterday and you saw name escapes me right now. You probably know Carville come out and said, hey, listen, the strategy that they're following is not going to work. Right. You know, the abortion issues with the states. Maggie Hassan has made an issue over here. She's lied about my position on it and she continues to do so. And they just continue to focus on the wrong things because they can't stand and deliver, not not only just to Granite Staters, but to people in their own party for what they've done.” [Don Bolduc, Livestream, NH, 10/11/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Doubled Down On His Pro-Life Stance But Stated That Women Did Not Have To Worry About Their Rights. “Well, I've been fighting for women's rights and everybody's rights for thirty three and a half years, right. And just because I'm pro-life does not mean that, you know, that women have to worry about their rights. That's just what I believe. And I should be respected for that. Not vilified and called an extremist and a hater of women. I've been fighting for women's rights and children's rights and men's rights and everybody's rights my entire life.” [Don Bolduc, The Kuhner Report, New Hampshire, 10/10/22]; 221010_ZAP_1774

[AUIOD] Bolduc Reiterated That Abortion Needed To Be A State's Issue. Abortion, everything you see on the news and getting mailed is an absolute lie. I do not support a federal ban on abortion, it is a state right issues, that is the way it is and I support our abortion law and women in this state on both sides will be better heard and served at the state level than they will ever be at the federal level. That is my answer and that is the truth. Print that and put that out there." [Don Bolduc, Radio Interview, NH, 10/07/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Repeatedly Claimed That Hassan's “Extremist” Views On Abortion Were At Odds With What Granite Staters Wanted. “Male3 (00:23:13  DB: Right. So the role of U.S. federal government is not to be involved.  And that's what the Dobbs decision did. It didn't reverse Roe v. Wade. Right. Once again, the senator should know this [...] The federal level has done this has hurt people over the last 50 years. She she thinks it helps people, but it hurts people to be at the federal level, state level, men and women or excuse me, women on both sides of the issue. Women on both sides of the issue will have a better voice at the state level than they would anywhere else, and our governor and legislature have passed a law, and that's what I support.” [Don Bolduc, Debate, NH, 10/18/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Claimed That Hassan Took His Abortion Stance Out Of Context. “Our governor and our legislature passed the law, and that wall is consistent with the majority of Granite Staters and how they feel about it, you know, there's always going to be people on pro-life side, people on pro-choice side that are going to continue to debate about it. And that's what's good. And I feel because it's been pushed down to the state, women on both sides of the issue will get the best choice at that level than they would ever get at the federal level, considering what the federal level has done to it over the last 50 years. [...]  She took that soundbite and put it in an ad that suggested I was telling women to get over it, somehow rejoicing about the reverse of Roe v. Wade, I reminded her yesterday that Roe v. Wade was not overturned.” [Don Bolduc, Fundraiser, NH, 10/19/22]

[AUDIO] Bolduc Stated That The Department Of Defense's Funds For Abortions Should Align With State Legislation. “16:53 Caller: Hi, thank you, General, for your service and for taking my question per the Hyde Amendment. Currently, the Department of Defense can pay for abortions only in cases of rape, incest or danger to life of the mother. Do you support the Department of Defense funding these abortion? 17:11 DB: You know, I know what the Hyde Amendment says, and I am. You know that the military provides medical services for their service members, but I got to tell you, my position on on the abortion issue is that, you know, it's a state issue now. It's not a it's not a federal issue. And, you know, New Hampshire has a state law. That state law is something that we have to abide by. You know, the Department of Defense is going to have to follow whatever the mandates are from from the federal government, you know, whatever whatever that policy is. And, you know, I'm just not I'm just not going to. You know, use my position as a United States senator to get in the way of the states, to get in the way of this issue, because the Supreme Court has been quite clear on it and I think they might get involved in this particular issue as well. So, listen, we need to protect life from the beginning to the end. And I am a firm believer in that. That is for sure. So, you know, it's interesting to me, 33 years in the military and I never, ever dealt with this with this situation at all. And it perplexes me that it it is, you know, something that occupies such a large part of our federal level when it really now is a state rights issue.” [Don Bolduc, Radio Interview, NH, 10/31/22]; 221031_VLG_138_A