During October’s Democratic presidential primary debate, moderators finally asked about abortion!

After abortion was left out of two of the first three primary debates, CNN moderator Erin Burnett asked a handful of candidates about state abortion restrictions and protecting access to abortion at the Supreme Court.

This is a start, but we aren’t done. At the next debate, it is imperative that we hear from every single candidate on the debate stage about their plans to protect and expand abortion rights and access.

Debate moderators must dive deeper to ensure candidates are committed to reproductive justice, to busting abortion stigma, to centering trans and non-binary people in abortion care, and to addressing structural inequities like classism and racism that hinder abortion access.

November’s debate will be held in Georgia—where a six-week abortion ban passed (and was then blocked) earlier this year—and hosted by MSNBC and the Washington Post. In a state with such hostility towards abortion access, it is absolutely crucial that moderators ask about abortion.

Sign the petition to MSNBC and the Washington Post: #AskAboutAbortion at the November Democratic debate.

Renee Bracey Sherman started the #AskAboutAbortion campaign in 2016. All* Above All Action Fund and a number of other reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations revitalized it for this presidential cycle.

Participating Organizations:
Abortion Care Network
All* Above All Action Fund
Blue Future
Campaign for Accountability
Daily Kos
Fight for Progress PAC
NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina
National LGBTQ Task Force
United We Dream Action
Wendy Davis for Congress
Women's March National