The two candidates vying for Illinois’ 13th congressional district have opposing views abortion.
Democrat Nikki Budzinski, a union advocate from Peoria, and Republican Regan Deering, an educator, small business owner, and active philanthropist from Decatur, both won their primaries in June for the chance to represent the newly drawn 13th district in Illinois.
On Thursday, September 8, Budzinski held a news conference alongside EMILY’s List executive director Emily Cain and NARAL’s vice president of communications and research, Angela Vasquez Giroux.
During the news conference, Budzinski shared her stance on abortion.
“I am someone that has been pro-choice my entire life,” Budzinski said. “I am very honored that I interned for Planned Parenthood in college, and I want to be a champion for women as it relates to choice going to Congress.”
Illinois’ general election will be held on Nov. 8, with early voting beginning Sept. 29. The election occurs in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe. v. Wade and sending the issue of abortion rights back to the states.
Budzinski criticized her opponent, claiming that Deering has yet to inform voters about her views on the issue.
“My Republican opponent Regan Deering, when asked this question, could not give a simple yes or no to an important question that impacts working women throughout the 13th district,” Budzinski said.
Deering issued a statement in response to her opponent’s comments, saying that the matter is personal for her, and that Budzinski is out of touch with the people in the district.
“As someone who was given life by a brave mother who chose adoption, the issue of life is personal to me,” Deering said. “Nikki Budzinski’s false attacks are an attempt to deflect from her own extreme stance on abortion that is out of touch with our district that she just moved to.”
Deering also said that she would not support policies she claims that her opponent would.
“A bipartisan majority of Americans oppose Nikki Budzinski’s radical abortion policies like taxpayer-funding of abortion or repealing parental notification for minors,” Deering said. “I am running for Congress to bring people together instead of feeding into Nikki’s polarization tactics to tear us apart.”
This article originally appeared on The Center Square.
