Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania (DJOP) said today that US Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st PA) “can’t have it both ways on abortion.”
Jill Zipin, Chair of the political action committee, said that Fitzpatrick was one of only three Republicans in the House of Representatives to vote Friday in favor of the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, which protects the right to travel across state lines to access abortion care.
“But the right to travel between states is protected under the U.S. Constitution, so this was an easy vote for an anti-abortion Congressman who takes right-wing positions while consistently going out of his way to pose as a moderate,” Zipin said.
On the same day, Fitzpatrick joined every Republican member of the House in voting against the Women’s Health Care Protection Act. This legislation would give health care providers the right to provide abortion services up to the point of viability and protect the right of patients to obtain those services.
“Brian Fitzpatrick can’t have it both ways on abortion,” Zipin said. “He repeatedly and conveniently cherry picks bills that allow him to proclaim his allegedly moderate credentials. But when you look at his record as a whole, he is anything but moderate.”
DJOP has endorsed Democratic candidate Ashley Ehasz in her campaign to replace Fitzpatrick in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County-based 1st District.
“As he has for years, Congressman Fitzpatrick has supported the extreme right-wing, anti-women effort to regulate women’s bodies without any consequences,” Zipin said. “At a time when lawmakers in many states are pursuing total bans on abortion care, we must elect representatives who will protect reproductive rights.
“DJOP is proud to have endorsed Ashley Ehasz for the 1st District Congressional seat. She will fight consistently for our fundamental freedoms, bodily autonomy and right to choose.”
A recent poll conducted by the firm Public Policy Polling shows Ehasz winning the seat by 10 percentage points when 1st District voters learn about Fitzpatrick’s anti-choice record. The poll of 626 registered voters was conducted for the Global Strategy Group, a highly respected national research, public affairs and communications agency.
“When voters learn about his (Fitzpatrick’s) anti-abortion position, there is a dramatic shift toward Ehasz,” the Global Strategy Group’s memo on the survey stated. “Fitzpatrick’s support among the Democrats who bolster his initial lead evaporates and women move solidly into Ehasz’s column.”
Zipin said, “This is a critical time for voters of Pennsylvania’s 1st District to elect a pro-choice candidate such as Ashley Ehasz to Congress. She understands that an option for abortion is an integral part of women’s healthcare.”