Stories

Democrat cancels fundraiser over incumbent's anti-abortion stance

Illinois Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) is the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Photo: By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call

A senior Democratic official pulled out of a fundraiser for Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) on Wednesday following uproar over his anti-abortion rights stance as Lipinski gears up to face a progressive primary challenger who supports abortion rights, reports the New York Times.

Why it matters: Rep. Cheri Bustos' (D-Ill.) decision to withdraw from the Lipinski fundraiser highlights how crucial Democratic support for abortion rights has become in the wake of national abortion restrictions.

What she's saying: While Bustos never directly stated that she was backing out of Lipinski's fundraiser because of his abortion rights stance, she did highlight her own pro-abortion rights voting record in a statement to the Times. However, Bustos added that any dollar donated to try to defeat a Democratic incumbent is a dollar that could've been used against a Republican.

Go deeper:

Abortion