Dems crash Smiley’s election-night party with abortion-rights protest
Aug 3, 2022, 10:25 AM | Updated: 11:40 am
Photo from Hanna Scott Twitter @HannaKIROFM
Pro-abortion activists protested candidate Tiffany Smiley’s “extreme anti-abortion stance” outside an election watch party hosted by Smiley, denouncing her positions as state Democrats prepare to defend their seats in Congress this general election.
In the primary election August 2, Murray is currently leading with 54% of the vote, with Smiley following up at 32%.
Patty Murray, Tiffany Smiley leading in US Senate primary election
Happening now: outside the GOP primary night watch party where a group of @PattyMurray supporters are speaking out against @SmileyForWA abortion position. They say they’re worried about GOP dumping $$ into WA to steal senate seat @KIRONewsradio @Mynorthwest #Election2022 pic.twitter.com/uhesrmUyT4
— Hanna Scott (@HannaKIROFM) August 3, 2022
The Washington State Democrats detailed their fear that, if elected, Smiley will support Sen. Mitch McConnell in creating legislation to outlaw abortions completely.
“Washington state voters want to protect a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. Tiffany Smiley praised the Supreme Court decision taking that right away and she’d help flip the Senate to Mitch McConnell and MAGA Republicans who want to make abortion a crime nationwide” Washington State Democratic Party spokesperson Caitlin Harrington said. “Tiffany Smiley can’t be trusted to stand up for Washington state women or their rights, and that’s why voters won’t stand for her.”
Smiley had released a statement in the aftermath of Roe being overturned, celebrating the decision and saying that it gives elected lawmakers the ability to regulate abortion, rather than judges.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision means the people’s representatives, not unelected judges, will make the decision on regulating abortion,” Smiley said. “Even then-Senator Joe Biden voted five times for common sense restrictions on late-term abortions, while Patty Murray stood in opposition to those same mainstream proposals. There is one extremist on the issue of abortion in this race, and her name is Patty Murray.”
In an interview on the Jason Rantz show, Smiley said she is also working on making the election about other issues, specifically focusing on crime and inflation.
“You know, all it is is a distraction from her failed policies because she cannot stand on her own two feet. When we talk about the rising cost of living when we’re talking about rising gas prices. Do you know we’re third highest in the country for gas prices? That this is all a distraction because she has no grounds to stand on, on the issues that are affecting Washington families every single day.”
At the protest, Ashley Fedan, a local nurse and pro-choice activist gave an impassioned speech to the crowd rallying them against Smiley’s history against abortion rights, and decrying Smiley’s promise to “rubber stamp” Mitch McConnell.
“God’s work is not holding signs outside an abortion clinic. God’s work is not intimidating women into following their values. God’s work is holding a woman’s hand as she recovers from experiencing a lot of trauma. God’s work is making them feel safe and feel heard,” Fedan said. “Ending reproductive healthcare for women in the US is catastrophic. Tiffany smiley does not represent Washington state, she doesn’t represent the women of this country”
