Mitch McConnell's (R., Ky.) Democratic challenger Amy McGrath fundraised with a co-sponsor of Virginia's controversial abortion bill that made headlines earlier this year.
Amy McGrath appeared in a photo on Twitter with Virginia state representative Marcus Simon (D.). Simon signed on to co-sponsor Virginia H.B. 2491, which permitted abortions through the end of the third trimester of pregnancy. During a presentation of the bill, state representative Kathy Tran (D.), who introduced the legislation, confirmed that it would allow for abortion up until birth. It was defeated via voice vote.
When defending the bill, Va. governor Ralph Northam infamously commented on the bill's allowance for what critics referred to as infanticide. "The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired," he said at the time. "And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother."
Simon and McGrath appeared together at a 2020 fundraiser in Virginia. "Taking a tiny peek ahead to 2020 because @amymcgrathky is in Falls Church working to defeat Mitch McConnell," Simon wrote on Twitter.
Taking a tiny peek ahead to 2020 because @amymcgrathky is in Falls Church working to defeat Mitch McConnell - the Kirk Cox of the US Senate https://t.co/KEHFeL3rMC pic.twitter.com/NIFCDUE1z4
— Marcus Simon for Va (@marcussimon) July 24, 2019
McGrath has said she considers herself pro-choice. "Our focus ought to remain on preserving our constitutional rights, the health and well-being of the mother, and the rights of women to make their own choices without interference from government," she said.
McGrath's campaign got off to a rocky start early in July when she said she would have voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh despite finding the sexual assault allegation against him credible. A couple of hours later, she reversed her position, writing that "upon further reflection and further understanding of his record, I would have voted no" on the then-nominee.
In 2018, McGrath compared President Trump's election victory to 9/11. "The only feeling I can describe that's any close to it was the feeling I had after 9/11," she said.