A progressive political action group on Tuesday unveiled a series of online voter guides that score aspiring federal and state lawmakers, as well as gubernatorial candidates, in five climate- and reproductive rights-related categories.
"Just like climate change, the inevitable compulsory pregnancy that results from losing access to abortion poses an existential threat to Americans."
In addition to scoring candidates on their positions, votes, and leadership record, Vote Climate U.S. PAC's guides let users get voting dates, deadlines, and information for the November 8 midterm elections. The resource now also includes information about candidates' positions on abortion rights.
"The right to choose safe and legal abortion is a fundamental human right and is the hottest voting issue of the midterm elections," said Vote Climate U.S. PAC.
Karyn Strickler, who heads the group, said in a statement that "on June 24, 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court took away American women's essential right to bodily autonomy when they overturned Roe v. Wade."
"Just like climate change, the inevitable compulsory pregnancy that results from losing access to abortion poses an existential threat to Americans," she continued. "It threatens women's lives and health, imposing crippling economic hardships on them, their partners, and their families."
Strickler also noted that "unwanted pregnancies and births stress the environment, driving climate change and related weather extremes."
Vote Climate U.S. PAC said the guides will be updated further to label candidates as climate "heroes" and "zeroes," as well as with a ranking of best incumbents and challengers on climate policy and comparisons based on party, region, and swing districts.
"Voters want to prioritize the issue of climate change and reproductive choice in the voting booth," Strickler asserted. "Our voter's guides help every American to vote climate in the halls of Congress and the governor's mansion."
