‘The Right to Choose Here’

By Josh Rogers
NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO
Gov. Chris Sununu says he’s not convinced last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling revoking a constitutional right to abortion or the ongoing hearings of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6th insurrection are likely to swing elections in New Hampshire.

Speaking in Concord at a forum organized by Washington-based Punchbowl News, Sununu stressed that the Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion returns decisions on the matter to states but doesn’t immediately affect New Hampshire law, which permits all abortions up to 24 weeks.

Sununu signed that 24-week abortion ban as part of the 2021 state budget but has since backed some exceptions to the law.

“We don’t have to change anything, or bring back a special session, or anything like that,” Sununu said. “Women still have the right to choose here.”

Democrats in the Legislature have called on Sununu – who’s also said he’d also sign a bill to codify a right to abortion – to convene a special session for that purpose.

Sununu acknowledged the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling is “a hot topic right now, an important topic,” but said he believes economic issues will be top of mind for voters in November. He added that Democrats will, in his view, “do anything they can to distract and go to the social issues.”

And while Sununu also argued the hearings on the U.S. Capitol insurrection will have little impact on election outcomes, he faulted Republicans for not fully participating.

“What happened on January 6 is very significant. It was tragic in many, many ways. It was an absolute assault on the capitol,” Sununu said. “It’s not just about former President Trump, and his role in it, it’s about his staff, and security. You have to take those seriously and say, ‘How are we going to make sure that doesn’t happen in the future?’”

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.