Planned Parenthood endorses SC candidate as ‘the champion we need’ as state debates abortion

Planned Parenthood’s political advocacy arm has endorsed Democrat Joe Cunningham in his bid to unseat Republican incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster.

The abortion rights group’s support of Cunningham comes as state lawmakers debate whether to enact further abortion restrictions in wake of the Dobbs decision allowing states to decide whether abortion is legal within their borders.

Cunningham has said he would veto any abortion ban that came to his desk if he were elected governor.

“Joe Cunningham is the champion we need to stop the state Legislature’s extreme agenda with his veto power while advocating for policies that will help our families and communities thrive,” said Vicki Ringer, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic.

McMaster initially said he didn’t want any exceptions when it came to abortion bans, but later said the exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother and fetal anomalies included in the state’s 2021 heartbeat law were reasonable.

“McMaster has promised to inflict more harm on his constituents by completely stripping them of their bodily autonomy while ignoring dangerously high rates of maternal and infant mortality in this state, especially among Black women and babies,” Ringer said.

Planned Parenthood has sued the state over its ban on abortion after a heartbeat can be detected, which is typically around the six-week mark of a pregnancy. The law is currently blocked as the state Supreme Court decides whether it is constitutional.

“We are proud to partner with Planned Parenthood to lead the fight to protect the bodily autonomy of South Carolinians, and we will not rest until our daughters have full access to the same reproductive health care as their mothers and grandmothers,” Cunningham said.

Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic is the 501(c)(4) for the abortion provider, which also provides STD testing and birth control.

A 501 (c)(4) is a type of politically active nonprofit sometimes referred to as a “dark money” group because it does not have to disclose where its donations come from.