Colorado congressional candidate Lauren Boebert, a Republican, stressed the importance of the doctor-patient relationship at a campaign event in Walsenburg earlier this month before then speaking about her support for Proposition 115, a measure that would impose criminal penalties for doctors who perform abortions after 22 weeks.
Criticizing her Democratic opponent Diane Mitsch Bush’s stance on health care and calling universal healthcare a “socialized medicine scheme,” Boebert told the cheering crowd that “[Bush] wants you to wait for government to say when and where you can have a procedure done.”
“I don’t want that government intervention in your health care, I want you and your doctor to have decision over that,” Boebert said.
In her next breath, Boebert began attacking her opponent’s support of Planned Parenthood and the right to an abortion.
“My opponent has an ad where she proudly brags that she’s endorsed by Planned Parenthood,” Boebert told the now sneering crowd. “As your congresswoman, I will always stand to defend the sanctity of life. I will always speak up for the voiceless who are not yet born. I proudly carried the petition to end full term abortion here in Colorado to get that on the ballot so we could reduce that down to 22 weeks.”
Boebert is referencing the Colorado ballot measure to ban abortion at 22 weeks, which has no exceptions for pregnant patients who are experiencing health complications from pregnancy or receive a lethal fetal diagnosis. Many medical professionals oppose the initiative because they say it hinders their ability to use their best medical judgement when navigating pregnancy complications.
The Boebert campaign did not respond to an email seeking to know how Boebert differentiates the doctor-patient relationship that she says is at risk under universal health care from that of Proposition 115.
“As your congresswoman, with the power of the purse, I will always tell Planned Parenthood to go fund themselves,” Boebert added at the campaign event.
Boebert, a gun rights enthusiast and business owner in Rifle, is a political novice who defeated five-term Republican incumbent congressman Scott Tipton in the primary race for Colorado’s third congressional district earlier this year.
Listen to Boebert speak out for Proposition 115 and against Planned Parenthood funding at a Walsenburg, CO, rally Sept. 2.
