By Dr. Matthew E. Abrams | Point of View
As a neonatologist working alongside OBGYNs, my colleagues and I witness how faulty and vague laws have real-world consequences, putting women’s health at risk and, at times, endangering their lives.
For this reason, Congressional District One Democratic nominee Dr. Amish Shah’s voting record gravely concerns me.
On a recent podcast, Shah, a former Republican and apparent Trump voter, suggested he would not back a Democratic nominee for this Congressional seat if he was not the winner.
“It will come down to how I feel afterward. It’s not about me personally; it really isn’t. This isn’t about me,” he said on the podcast.
Well, evidently, it’s not about the voters of CD1 either. If it were, Shah would respect the democratic process and support the voter’s nominee to finally defeat Schweikert.
Considering the stakes for women’s rights and democracy, this should tell you everything you need to know about why he’s not the right choice. Shah would stand by and allow another Schweikert term and possibly control of Congress just because he wasn’t selected.
Still, I have deeper concerns.
In 2021, then Rep. Shah tried to inject an amendment into SB1082. The amendment was intended to block women’s access to specific over-the-counter contraceptives under the guise that the medication could cause harm. This was countered on the house floor by fellow Democrats who pointed out that a woman and her doctor already had the mechanisms in place to determine beforehand if a medication would not be a good match for a patient.
Additionally, it was pointed out that pharmacists already educate patients on the risks of medications by checking their medical history. Nevertheless, Rep. Shah persisted and sent a clear message: he didn’t trust women to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions.
He voted for his amendment and then was a non-vote on the passage of the actual bill. Later, Shah tried to justify his position by claiming it was about protecting women from harmful medication. He hid behind the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The problem is that the group has given heavily to pro-life causes and has been a backer of Dr. Shah. So, it comes as no surprise they have endorsed him.
We can’t replace Schweikert with someone who voted for Trump (no matter his excuses); we can’t replace Schweikert with someone so self-involved they can’t fathom supporting the voter’s nominee unless it is him. Just what are his plans for those remaining donations if not to unseat Schweikert?
Shah can’t be the Democratic nominee in Arizona Congressional District 1.
There is way too much on the line to put forward a candidate who doesn’t respect and trust the voter’s decisions nor the reproductive decisions of women. Amish Shah doesn’t trust us, how should we trust him to represent us in Congress.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Mathew Abrams is a Scottsdale-based neonatologist, who are doctors specialized in caring for newborn children
