Kamala Harris campaign makes stop in Macon, her advocates focus on abortion rights

The Kamala Harris campaign stopped in Macon Friday as part of a bus tour focused on abortion rights across Georgia.

Harris herself wasn’t in town, but a slate of speakers including State Rep. Miriam Paris, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appeared to support the campaign and abortion rights.

“The only way to stop (Donald Trump) and his extreme, anti-reproductive freedom agenda is to vote this November,” Williams said. “Harris trusts women to make decisions about their own health care.”

Why is the campaign focusing on Georgia?

Georgia is set to be a major battleground in November. After going for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, Georgia solidified its status as a swing state that’s seen as a toss-up as the election nears.

Additionally, Georgia has already seen abortion rights take center stage in politics. In 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a bill that would ban most abortions at six weeks, when fetal cardiac activity can be detected. The bill was struck down by a federal court that cited Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court decision protecting abortion.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022 by Dobbs v. Jackson — which ruled that states can decide whether or not abortion should be legal — protests erupted across Georgia. The Georgia Supreme Court then reactivated the 2019 law in October 2023, pointing to the new ruling.

Since Roe was overturned, abortion has become inaccessible in nearly all of the South, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights . Many southern states have been abortions, while others have put in place heavy restrictions or gestational bans.

Abortion rights have already motivated Georgia voters to get to the polls this year. A state supreme court race between Democrat-backed John Barrow and Republican-backed Andrew Pinson drew enormous attention after Barrow led a campaign emphasizing abortion rights. While Barrow ultimately lost, the race was much tighter than other state supreme court races in recent elections.

Harris-Walz campaign focuses on abortion stances

Harris has made abortion rights a centerpiece of her bid for president, often bringing it up at rallies and during media appearances.

At a rally this summer in Atlanta, Harris emphasized her opposition to abortion bans and her desire to expand access to reproductive care.

“We, who believe in reproductive freedom, will stop Donald Trump’s extreme abortion bans,” Harris said during the event. “And when Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States I will sign it into law.

What did the speakers have to say?

During the event, speakers focused on abortion rights in Georgia, echoing many of Harris’ speeches and statements on the issue.

Speakers also contrasted Harris’ position on abortion rights against those of former President Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance.

Trump’s views on abortion have not always been consistent , but he did praise the U.S. Supreme Court following its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and has expressed support for abortion bans in the past. Vance opposes abortion rights.

In addition to the slate of announced speakers, the campaign brought Julia Callahan — co-founder of Middle Georgia for Choice, a local abortion rights advocacy group — to the podium.

Callahan shared her own story of miscarrying and being impacted by anti-abortion laws. While pregnant with twins, she miscarried one fetus and the other fetus remained viable. Doctors were concerned about ending the non-viable pregnancy due to the other fetus and possible repercussions.

They decided to wait to treat her, but Callahan became seriously ill as she continued to miscarry. A month later, her doctors finally decided to end the non-viable pregnancy.

Callahan said the treatment she received saved her life, and she fears that other women may not be able to access the same care.

“My terrifying experience navigating our health care system in the wake of Donald Trump’s abortion bans have awakened me to the horrors women in Georgia face,” Callahan said.

Callahan and Williams both emphasized disparities between white and Black women in maternal mortality rates and access to reproductive care.

Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, with 33.9 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2018 and 2021, according to data compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics. The CDC said the national average is 32.9 deaths per 100,000 births.

The National Library of Medicine has found that “hostile abortion legislation” often worsens prenatal care and mortality rates for women of color, women living in poverty and immigrant women.

About 42% of people living in Macon-Bibb County identify as Black, according to data from the U.S. Census . Around 20% of people in the county live in poverty.

The campaign also brought Latorya Beasley, a woman from Alabama who was unable to access IVF following a February decision by the Supreme Court of Alabama that halted the procedure in the state. She later discussed her experience at a roundtable about abortion rights led by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. She also attended the State of the Union address in March as a personal guest of First Lady Jill Biden.

“Families across Alabama were thrown into disarray,” Beasley said.

Alongside women sharing their experiences, speakers affirmed Harris’ commitment to abortion rights. Williams echoed Harris’ remarks from the Atlanta rally, promising that Harris would urge Congress to pass legislation protecting abortion, and sign it into law if elected.

“We’ve got 60 days, y’all, to elect Kamala Harris and reject Donald Trump, and take back our reproductive freedom once and for all,” Williams said.