When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade this June, state politicians gained power to decide whether abortion remains safe and legal. On November 8, abortion, as well as the future of access to a wide range of reproductive services, is on the ballot in NH. Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas voted to defund Planned Parenthood’s Family Planning Program four times this past year. This program ensures access to birth control, STI testing, and cancer screenings. This month, Gatsas refused to consider long-standing, routine contracts of sex education for teens most at-risk for teen pregnancy. As a healthcare provider, I see Gatsas’s failure to prioritize essential reproductive health care services as disappointing and alarming. That’s why I’m voting for Kevin Cavanaugh for Executive Councilor.
Cavanaugh understands that access to affordable reproductive health care is essential to well-being. As state senator, he cosponsored bills to expand access to abortion care and fertility testing and treatment. He voted to increase funding for the state family planning program. In 2021, Governor Sununu signed New Hampshire’s first modern abortion ban into law. Sununu’s opponent, Dr. Tom Sherman, fought against that ban. His experience as a physician allows him to understand that health care decisions belong between an individual and their doctor, not politicians.Together, Cavanaugh and Sherman have worked in the Senate to protect our rights. Now we need their dedication in the Executive Branch. I urge you to join me in voting for Kevin Cavanaugh and Dr. Tom Sherman.
Roopa Bhat
Manchester