GOP gubernatorial candidates have made clear that reproductive rights in Pa. will be in jeopardy

As part of its Big Beautiful Bill that was signed into law in early July, the Trump administration has sought to defund Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides healthcare to millions of people across America.

While those funding cuts are currently blocked and being challenged as unconstitutional, the risk to reproductive rights they represent is undeniable.

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade opened the door to extreme abortion bans across the nation, the commonwealth has been protected because of Gov. Josh Shapiro and his commitment to defending our reproductive rights. That is absolutely something we should be grateful for, but not something we can take for granted.

In addition to the attacks from the Trump administration, many leaders here in Pennsylvania have attempted to take radical steps to take away abortion rights. State Senate Republicans proposed an amendment to Pennsylvania’s constitution that would deny abortion care in the commonwealth, even in cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening conditions. While Shapiro has been clear he would veto any such attempt to restrict abortion rights, an antiabortion candidate in the governor’s mansion would put those freedoms at risk again.

As a future OB-GYN, I know that access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare — including abortion — is not just important, it is lifesaving. While abortion is the headline for many Republican leaders, their agenda threatens the entire spectrum of reproductive care that is offered at Planned Parenthood clinics across the state, from contraception to prenatal services and cancer screenings.

If successful, these attacks would unravel the very foundation of reproductive healthcare in our state and disproportionately harm low-income individuals, people of color, and those in rural communities, who already face steep barriers to care.

In the face of these threats to reproductive rights, Shapiro has sued the Trump administration to stop it from defunding Planned Parenthood, and has vowed to veto antiabortion legislation that comes to his desk. But in 2026, the governor’s office will be on the ballot — and the two leading Republican candidates are both committed to curtailing reproductive rights.

» READ MORE: At stake in Mastriano vs. Shapiro, the fate of abortion rights in Pennsylvania | Editorial

Some may remember that Doug Mastriano was roundly rejected in his bid for the governorship in 2022, in large part because of his extreme anti-choice agenda. Indeed, during his campaign for governor, he supported a total abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. He has backed legislation to criminalize providers and opposed even the most basic protections for patients in medical emergencies.

His positions are out of step with the values of the vast majority of Pennsylvanians and are dangerous for public health. Unfortunately, this time around, he is not the only extremist in the field.

Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who recently confirmed her gubernatorial bid, is a longtime ally of Mastriano and every bit as extreme when it comes to reproductive rights. Garrity cheered on the overturning of Roe, celebrating it as “a great day for the sanctity of life” and declaring “justice has prevailed.”

Garrity has raised money selling merchandise calling for the defunding of Planned Parenthood, selling T-shirts with slogans like, “Roses are red, violets are blue, defund Planned Parenthood.” Her campaign has turned defunding reproductive healthcare into a punch line — ignoring the real patients who will lose access to lifesaving services.

» READ MORE: Stacy Garrity can’t champion rural hospitals while cheering a bill that will shut them down | Opinion

If someone like Mastriano or Garrity were elected as our next governor, there would be little to stop them from implementing the kind of extreme abortion bans you see in Alabama or Oklahoma — laws that have forced doctors to delay lifesaving care until patients are on the brink of death. They would be poised to sign away not just abortion access, but the full range of reproductive services Pennsylvanians rely on. And there would be no one to stand up to the Trump administration’s efforts to defund healthcare.

This is the reality we face in the commonwealth. Our rights are under attack, and we cannot be caught off guard. We must stay informed, speak out, support organizations defending reproductive healthcare, and most importantly, vote in every election.

Reproductive rights are healthcare rights. And healthcare decisions belong in the exam room, in discussion between patient and doctor — not in the hands of politicians.

Kyler McVay lives in the Philadelphia area, is an active patient escort at a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood, a member of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania’s leadership action team, and will soon be a full-time OB-GYN student.