O’Rourke on Women’s Health: Congressman Beto O’Rourke of El Paso says Republicans are failing women in Texas. Women’s health was one of many issues the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate focused on during his keynote speech at the Texas Democratic Convention in Fort Worth this past weekend. O’Rourke says a Republican crackdown on reproductive rights in the state has led to massive clinic closures, making it harder than ever for women to get access to basic health services. O’Rourke says this is causing larger problems in the state.
“We are in the midst of a maternal mortality crisis that is two or three times as deadly for African-American women in this state.," said O'Rourke. "We have made it too hard to go to that clinic and get that cervical cancer screening, get that family planning help, see a provider of any kind”
O’Rourke also says Democrats should defend a woman’s right to choose in Texas. Two weeks ago in San Antonio-- during the Republican Convention, delegates passed a party platform that called on state officials to refuse to enforce federal laws protecting a woman’s right to an abortion. Democrat O’Rourke is challenging Republican Senator Ted Cruz on the November ballot.
