Know your anti-choice Democratic candidates in Arizona. Part 1.

Jose Leonardo Suarez (LD4-D) is running for Arizona State House this year. When asked how he differed from the Democratic platform at the Clean Election primary debate, he said that he opposes marriage equality and abortion in most cases.

Link to video, which can’t be embedded on this site.

Suarez believes life starts at conception and that rape victims should have that baby. He would consider abortion to be acceptable in the case of fetal deformity and, almost as an afterthought, in the case that the defective incubator oops the woman is facing a danger to her life. Nice of him. Suarez does say that rape victims should receive “all kinds of counseling” so that they will either keep the baby or adopt it out. At no point does he consider if giving birth would be the best outcome for her well-being. Rape is simply a way of introducing a pregnancy into a woman’s body and women should always be ready to welcome that, and if they they aren’t, then they just need to have it explained better.

I’ve said this before: I have no problem with Democrats who oppose abortion. I just ask that they support things like universal health care, which includes unfettered access to contraception, and comprehensive sex education. They should certainly support a strong safety net and other policies that make life better for adults and children, while understanding that those things are not a substitute for reproductive rights, since sometimes women don’t want to be pregnant even under the best of circumstances. What they should never do is sign on to disgusting right wing laws that criminalize women and doctors. At the very least, “pro-life” Democrats should never take the side of rapists and rape-apologists over victims.

Vote for pro-choice Democrat Charlene Fernadez if you live in Legislative District 4. UPDATE: There are two seats for the House so please also vote for pro-choice Dem Lisa Otondo!

3 thoughts on “Know your anti-choice Democratic candidates in Arizona. Part 1.”

  1. It’s not so much that he is conservative but his conservatives views sound like something out of the 50s. He doesn’t want abortion except in cases where the fetus might have birth defects, really – so we just abort everyone that doesn’t conform to your liking? Let’s not even talk about the stupid idea of not allowing gay marriage because they are unable to procreate.

    I might vote him in as Dog Catcher, assuming I really hate dogs.

  2. Captain Arizona, my bodily autonomy, health, and life are not negotiable and not part of your “big tent”. What basic human rights of yours are you willing to give up for the sake of everyone getting along?

  3. democratic party is big tent we include they exclude. Let him make his case we don’t have to vote for him. I know this is tough ;but exclusion is not the answer.

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