RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Abortion continues to be a key part of Democrats' election playbook in North Carolina, which for 2024 will include what abortion-rights advocates call an unprecedented investment in get-out-the-vote efforts.
Planned Parenthood affiliated groups in North Carolina announced on Thursday a $10 million campaign in the state that largely focuses on persuading people concerned about narrowing abortion access to vote in November.
The spend, according to representatives for Planned Parenthood Votes and Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina, attempts to end both a GOP supermajority at the General Assembly that enacted new abortion limits last year and to defeat Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who wants the law to become more restrictive.
The $10 million marks the largest campaign investment ever made by Planned Parenthood entities in North Carolina, Planned Parenthood Votes spokesperson Emily Thompson said.
“Our goal is clear: To protect abortion access in North Carolina, we must ensure voters know abortion is on the ballot this year," Thompson said at a news conference near the state Legislative Building.
The money will pay for digital advertising, phone-banking, mailers and media programming on college campuses. It will also support Planned Parenthood's canvassing goal of knocking on 1 million doors in the state before the election, Thompson said.
Most campaigning efforts will be focused in New Hanover, Wake, Mecklenburg and Buncombe counties as part of its larger statewide strategy, Thompson said. The four counties were chosen in part because of Planned Parenthood's health services in those regions and ongoing organizing.
The GOP-controlled state legislature passed a 2023 law over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto that tightened the state’s ban on most abortions from after 20 weeks of pregnancy to 12 weeks, with additional exceptions.
“These legislators have had no regard for us, our rights or our freedoms,” said Emma Horst-Martz, a Planned Parenthood organizer. “They've shown us what's in store if they are the ones to decide our futures.”
Several speakers Thursday mentioned specifically Robinson’s past comments on abortion. Horst-Martz called him the “worst offender in attacks on abortion.”
Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein — who is also running for governor and is a strong abortion-rights supporter — and his allies have said that comments from Robinson show he wants a complete abortion ban.
Robinson’s campaign has said that he supports an abortion ban after roughly six weeks of pregnancy — which is before many women know they are pregnant — with some exceptions. Robinson spokesperson Michael Lonergan said Thursday that abortion supporters were “recycling their same old playbook” that was destined to fail and labeled Democrats' abortion agenda as “extreme and out of step with our state's values.”
Along with a focus on defeating Robinson in November, Thompson said the groups will also aim toward 16 state legislative races to break the Republican supermajority in both legislative chambers.
A few weeks before the 2022 election, Planned Parenthood’s affiliates announced a $5 million investment to influence more than a dozen legislative races to attempt to preserve Cooper’s veto power.
In the November 2022 elections, Republicans initially fell one House seat of holding veto-proof majorities in both General Assembly chambers. But they reached the threshold in April 2023 when then-Democratic Rep. Tricia Cotham switched to the Republicans. That led to changes in response to the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Associated Press writer Gary Robertson in Raleigh contributed to this report.
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GRAHAM — Police are asking for the public’s help finding a pickup that two men were in before one of them shot another man and stole his pickup last weekend.
The men were in a Dodge Ram 1500 with no tailgate, dark tinted windows, and black aftermarket wheels about 5 p.m. Saturday, April 20, and followed a man in a white 2023 Ford F150 into the parking lot of the Pilot gas station in the 1000 block of Jimmie Kerr Road, where one of them confronted and shot him and then left in the Ford F-150, the Graham Police Department said.
The victim, whose name was not released, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries that were described only as not life-threatening. Police said Thursday that he is recovering.
The Ford F-150 was later found in Guilford County.
The man driving the Dodge was described as Black, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, wearing a gray, striped polo shirt and black gym shorts, and having a short haircut.
Police ask that anyone with information about the robbery or about the Dodge pickup contact Detective Sgt. John Way at 336-570-6711 or submit a tip anonymously to Alamance County Crime Stoppers at 336-229-7100 or by using the P3 Tips app or visiting www.alamancecs.org.
Gross wagering revenue at an 18% tax rate brought the state more than $11.9 million in March, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission says.
Bettors won more than $590 million, and it wasn’t even a full month.
Legal online gambling opened March 11, just in time for the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. March Madness included the Cinderella run of North Carolina State to the men’s and women’s Final Fours, and three teams in the same area code — State, Duke and Carolina — making it to the Sweet 16 of the men’s event.
Gross wagering revenue is the total received by interactive sports wagering operators from bets as authorized under state law, minus the amounts paid as winnings before any deductions for expenses, fees or taxes. That sum multiplied by 18% yields money for state coffers.
Under state law, $2 million annually from that revenue will go to the Department of Health and Human Services for gambling addiction education and treatment programs; $1 million annually will go to the North Carolina Amateur Sports to expand youth sports opportunities; $300,000 will go to each of 13 state public school collegiate athletic departments; and $1 million will go to the N.C. Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission, which awards grants.
Finally, there are certain reimbursements to the state Lottery Commission and Department of Revenue for expenses incurred to implement and administer the new law. After that, 20% of any remaining revenue goes to the 13 public collegiate athletic departments; 30% to a new fund to attract major events, games and investments; and 50% to the state’s General Fund.
Of note on the help to collegiate athletics programs, the language of the bill says “to support collegiate athletic departments.” One thing it can’t be used for is name, image and likeness money to athletes.
The nearly $12 million for 20 days would be a pace for $18 million monthly, and a 12-month take of about $216 million. A legislative fiscal analysis estimated the state’s 18% betting tax will generate $64.4 million the first fiscal year, but other estimates range widely, from $47 million over three years to $126 million in just year one.