Pritzker advocates for reproductive rights alongside Clinton, Whitmer

NEW YORK - Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday joined a panel in New York City, sharing the stage with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

The panel discussion focused on reproductive rights and was part of the Clinton Global Initiative's 2023 meeting.

Governor Pritzker emphasized the need for Illinois to expand women's healthcare, reduce maternal mortality rates, particularly within minority communities, and safeguard reproductive rights. He pointed out that all of Illinois' neighboring states have abortion restrictions, making it crucial for Illinois to lead in protecting reproductive rights.

Pritzker also mentioned receiving support from Republican women in conservative areas for his pro-choice stance.

"People in deep red Trump territory, and it was mostly women who would walk up to me, and they would lean in and whisper — people would shout it in Chicago and they would lean in and whisper, and say, thank you so much for preserving our right to choose," Pritzker said.

He cited data from the Illinois Department of Public Health in 2021, indicating approximately 52,000 abortions in the state, with 11,000 performed on out-of-state women.