Washington, DC – This week on the debate stage, Pennsylvania GOP candidate for attorney general, Dave Sunday, failed yet again to answer whether or not he would prosecute a woman who would receive an abortion – a question he’s been avoiding his entire campaign.

According to the York Dispatch, “…Sunday declined to answer a question about abortion — much as he has throughout the campaign. Instead, he pledged to uphold and defend the state’s laws. ‘I’m going to follow the law regardless of what my personal feelings are,’ he told ABC27. ‘And so that’s it.’

“In practice, that would mean following whatever agenda the state’s legislative majorities pursue. Historically, however, the attorney general has enjoyed prosecutorial discretion over how laws are enforced and what cases are pursued. Then-AG Josh Shapiro, for example, vowed to ‘fight any attempt to erode women’s rights in our Commonwealth’ following the Roe v. Wade decision. Former AG Kathleen Kane, meanwhile, refused to defend state officials in a federal lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s same-sex marriage ban in 2013.

“Sunday, in explaining his stance, said he believes the attorney general should leave issues of abortion access to lawmakers and the governor. ‘I fundamentally believe that when you have a district attorney or an attorney general that would ever refuse to enforce a law based on their own personal feelings, then you’re usurping the will of 13 million Pennsylvanians,’ Sunday told Spotlight PA.”

By refusing to recognize the power the attorney general has in safeguarding abortion rights, it’s clear Sunday is the wrong person for the job. Pennsylvanians deserve to have an attorney general who will always defend their abortion rights.

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