Heartland Signal: Ohio GOP congressional candidate Kevin Coughlin calls abortion ‘yesterday’s news’

Kevin Coughlin is desperately trying to distract voters from his anti-abortion extremism just days from the election, calling reproductive rights "yesterday's news." Unfortunately for Coughlin, he can't run away from his own anti-abortion record.

As a state representative, Coughlin co-sponsored and voted for legislation that opposed funding and health care coverage for abortions, voted to restrict access to medication abortion, and helped elect the author of Ohio's six-week abortion ban. The extremist even bragged that he's "either co-sponsored or voted for every allowable Roe v. Wade state restriction."

DCCC Spokesperson Aidan Johnson:
"Women in Ohio lost abortion access because of politicians like Kevin Coughlin and had to fight like hell to get those rights restored. Now, he wants to pretend it's no longer an issue because his own anti-abortion extremism will cost him the election and make him 'yesterday's news.'"

Heartland Signal: Ohio GOP congressional candidate Kevin Coughlin calls abortion 'yesterday's news'
Zach Shaw | October 25, 2024

• In audio obtained by Heartland Signal, the Republican candidate for Ohio's 13th Congressional District Kevin Coughlin dismissed reproductive rights as "yesterday's news."

• Speaking at a UAkron College Republicans meeting on Oct. 15 about the status of his campaign, the former state senator said his campaign focused on more pressing issues for Ohioans.

• "What we've got on our side is the issues. We've got the right issues," Coughlin says in the audio. "[Democrats] have nothing to talk about. They want to talk about abortion, which is yesterday's news. And they want to talk about $35 insulin and things like that. Okay."

• Coughlin's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• The comments come at a time when voters across the U.S. are markedly supportive of abortion. Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, many states have seen intense public backlash and mobilization around reproductive rights, ultimately resulting in Ohio voters passing a constitutional amendment last year which gives a constitutional right to abortion. Even with this development, voter sentiment suggests that abortion is not a fading issue - it remains a critical factor in many voters' decision-making processes as they head to the polls.

• Coughlin isn't alone in his boldly dismissive stance on abortion rights, either. GOP candidates across the U.S., but especially those in Ohio, are also expressing extreme views that may alienate crucial voter demographics. Ohio Republican Senate nominee Bernie Moreno has also echoed hardline views on abortion that have been ripe for attack by his Democratic opponent Sherrod Brown, who has been eager to paint Moreno as untrustworthy and not in line with Ohio values. Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance, has infamously made headlines almost daily for his extreme anti-abortion positions, which seem to resonate only with the party's fringe base but is pushing away independent voters at an alarming rate.

• As the Republican Party navigates this politically charged landscape, the challenge will be finding common ground that appeals to a broader electorate, especially independents who are essential for winning in swing districts. If GOP candidates like Coughlin and Moreno continue to prioritize extreme rhetoric, they may inadvertently undermine their chances in key races.