LAS VEGAS, NV – In a passionate appeal at the Fremont Country Club on Thursday, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez implored Nevadans to vote for President Joe Biden in the upcoming November election, warning that former President Donald Trump would pose a significant threat to abortion access if re-elected.

The New York congresswoman addressed a crowd of supporters, highlighting the potential repercussions for reproductive rights under a second Trump administration. “If he wins in November, you better believe Donald Trump and a Republican Congress will pass a nationwide abortion ban,” Ocasio-Cortez stated emphatically. “That alone is an enormous reason why it is crucial that we reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”

In response, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt asserted that the former president has consistently supported states’ rights to decide on abortion matters. “Instead of grandstanding in Las Vegas on an issue that has already been decided by Nevada voters, Democrats should turn to the real issues caused by failed Joe Biden,” added Republican National Committee Nevada spokesperson Halee Dobbins.

Despite Trump’s claims that decisions on abortion rules should be left to the states, he has previously taken credit for appointing Supreme Court justices who paved the way for the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He has also stated his support for the availability of in vitro fertilization.

Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the importance of the upcoming election, referring to it as “the next battleground” and urged attendees to support Sen. Jacky Rosen as well. She shared a personal story about a time when she feared she might be pregnant following a sexual assault. Though she ultimately tested negative, she vowed from that day to champion reproductive freedom and justice.

In addition to the rally, Ocasio-Cortez participated in two other events in Las Vegas, where she underscored Biden’s efforts towards affordable housing and engaged in a roundtable discussion with local women about their experiences with abortion and reproductive care.

Nevada has seen a series of high-profile visits aimed at rallying support for Biden. In late May, former police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, held a news conference in Las Vegas urging voters to support Biden, framing Trump as a threat to democracy. President Biden himself visited the state in March to discuss plans for investing in affordable housing, while Vice President Kamala Harris has made several visits since the start of the year.

Trump also made an appearance in Nevada in early June ahead of the primary election, encouraging his supporters to vote for him and outlining his priorities if re-elected.

The event coincides with the approaching two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion regulations to the states. Nevada currently has protections in place for abortion, including a 1990 voter referendum that safeguards the right to abortion up to 24 weeks. Efforts are underway to further solidify these protections, with the political action committee Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom pushing for a ballot measure to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom in the state constitution.

Source: Review Journal