EMILY’s List, an organization dedicated to electing women who oppose legal restrictions on abortion and support taxpayer-funding of abortion, held a fundraiser in New York City today, but one notable name was dropped from the list of speakers: Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s Democratic senatorial candidate.
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As the screenshot above (which was sent along by a Republican source) shows, EMILY’s List had touted Grimes as a speaker at the event, but she is no longer listed as a speaker. A spokeswoman for Grimes did not reply to emails asking why the Democratic candidate canceled her appearance at the event.
According to a Marist poll released this year, “67% of Kentucky residents think abortion should be illegal.” With Kentucky voters so strongly opposed to abortion in general, it’s no surprise that Grimes wouldn’t want to be at an event that would draw attention to her more extreme positions on abortion.
EMILY’s List is known for demanding that candidates totally agree with their agenda in order to receive an endorsement. Former Democratic senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, for example, lost her endorsement when she supported a ban on partial-birth abortion.
Earlier this year, a spokeswoman for Grimes claimed that “Alison opposes late-term abortions,” but Grimes herself later indicated that she opposes a ban on most abortions after the fifth month of pregnancy.
Though Grimes apparently doesn’t want to be seen in public with EMILY’s List, she seems more than happy to take their money. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, EMILY’s List has given more money to Grimes than any other candidate this year.
