Abortion rights group to host presidential forum on reproductive rights

NARAL Pro-Choice America will host a presidential forum focused on reproductive rights and abortion, the group announced on Thursday.

The forum will take place in the second to last week in January in Des Moines, Iowa, a key primary state. 

The abortion rights campaign group said the forum would feature Democratic presidential candidates, but did not provide a list of who is expected to attend. 

{mosads}”We are pleased that the Democratic field stands with us on these critical issues and look forward to bringing candidates together for a rich discussion on how they plan to counter the extreme but vocal minority who wants to roll back progress and champion abortion rights in 2020 and beyond,” said NARAL President Ilyse Hogue. 

Candidates will discuss their plans related to abortion, contraception, paid family leave, gender equity and maternal mortality. 

NARAL has already held town halls this year with Democratic presidential candidates, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Planned Parenthood held a similar forum this summer, where nearly every candidate spoke about their plans to protect access to abortion and other women’s health care services. 

Polls show the abortion issue will play a large role in the 2020 elections. 

A Monmouth poll released in June showed 64 percent of voters said the issue of abortion will play an important role in who they vote for president. 

A series of bans and restrictions on the procedure passed this summer in conservative states has galvanized abortion rights activists.