Williamson describes herself as “one-hundred percent pro-choice” on her campaign web site.
However, Williamson wants women better understand their alternatives to abortion, be it raising a child, giving the child up for adoption, or using a state’s safe haven law.
“Expanding a woman’s understanding of her alternatives to termination is a good thing,” her campaign web site says.
The Democrat, who is running for president in what will likely end up being a primary against President Joe Biden, had never discussed that policy point to the media, including when she ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary.
So NewBostonPost asked her about it at her first public campaign event in New Hampshire of the 2024 election cycle.
A NewBostonPost reporter asked her to explain what making alternatives to abortion better known means to her during an event at Community Oven in Hampton, New Hampshire on Wednesday, March 8.
At first, she did not offer specifics.
“Well, certainly, I think I have no problem with the fact that women understand what their alternatives are to an abortion,” Williamson said. “I think that that’s a good thing.”
Then, the reporter followed up by asking what she would like to see the federal government do to promote a woman’s understanding of her alternatives to abortion.
To this question, Williamson expressed her support for family planning services (which include contraception), which receive Title X funding from the federal government.
“Well even if, say, someone were to go to, and with the Dobbs decision, that wouldn’t happen, but pre-Dobbs decision, a woman would go to a place like, say, Planned Parenthood. Someone would talk to her about alternatives. Every woman should know all of her choices. I do believe that. That’s a good thing, not a bad thing.”
Planned Parenthood abortion clinics still exist in most states. Elective abortion is currently illegal in 14 states.
Title X family planning funding has been controversial in the pro-life community because it gives money to abortion clinics, including Planned Parenthood; additionally, some pro-lifers oppose contraception.
After a NewBostonPost reporter asked Williamson those abortion questions, a woman who also attended the event asked Williamson if her support for bodily autonomy – a euphemism used to support abortion rights – extends to vaccine mandates.
To this question, Williamson said she does not plan on implementing vaccine mandates federally.
“We do not have federal mandates,” Williamson said. “Dr. Fauci himself has said we don’t have federal mandates.”
Williamson is running to Biden’s left in the 2024 Democratic primary. Williamson is an underdog in the Democratic primary; she dropped out before the Iowa caucuses in her 2020 presidential bid.
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