[caption id=”attachment_122337″ align=”aligncenter” width=”811″] AP Photo/David Zalubowski
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Republican Sen. Cory Gardner (Colo.) is pushing back on the myth of the GOP’s “war on women.”
Gardner, who beat out incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Udall in an exciting senatorial contest last year, is making good on the endorsement of over-the-counter birth control that he made during his campaign.
According to National Journal, the freshman senator has introduced legislation with New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) that would expand access to over-the-counter birth control. The bill has several Republican cosponsors, including Sens. Ron Johnson (Wisc.), Richard Burr (N.C.) and Joni Ernst (Iowa).
From National Journal:
In working with Ayotte, Johnson and Burr on the legislation, Gardner will help the three GOP senators in their effort to accomplish what he did in 2014: Namely, overcome arguments from their 2016 opponents that they are contributing to the so-called Republican “war on women.”
Gardner emphasized his “belief” in the prospect of over-the-counter birth control, calling for his GOP counterparts to go on offense when it comes to communicating an agenda on women’s issues in which they “believe.”
“I think for far too long, Republicans went on defense with their ideas or defense about their positions,” explained Gardner. “But let’s actually talk about what we believe in and putting forward a positive idea, a positive initiative like over-the-counter contraception. … It’s something that we believe in. Why hide from it? Why not put it out in a meaningful form?”
Despite his efforts, Gardner is catching flak from groups like Planned Parenthood and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for the legislation, which was introduced last month.
