The bill, House Bill 294, strips federal funding from Planned Parenthood and any other entity that “performs or promotes nontherapeutic abortions,” or contracts with entities that do. The money will be redirected to other health centers across the state, theoretically, but one public health expert told the Columbus Dispatch it could also accidentally affect funding for hospitals, since they too often perform abortions or contract with entities that do. And Planned Parenthood told the Dispatch that the funding they’re losing had been used, not for abortions—because that is illegal and has been since the ‘70s—but for education and testing, including sex ed classes, a program called Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, and HIV tests.

Kasich has, as the 538 points out, signed every single anti-abortion measure that’s made it across his desk since he took office in 2011. He’s also against paid maternity leave, for some reason. All good things to keep in mind as Kasich continues darkening the doors of non-Ohio America, promoting his fanciful vision of being a uniter.

He’s great at defending his viewpoints too: here’s the governor a few weeks ago, awkwardly interacting with two female voters who’d rather he didn’t defund Planned Parenthood. When they press him, he grumbles, “We’re done. We’re done,” before stalking off.

Kasich is polling at around 11 percent, meaning one of these other anti-abortion nightmares will likely be the nominee, and he’ll have to re-dedicate himself to making his home state a worse place for women to live.

Contact the author at anna.merlan@jezebel.com.
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