TN Democratic party hires Lisa Carter to fight proposed anti-abortion amendment

photo Abortion debate tile
Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron announced today the party has hired campaign veteran Lisa Carter to coordinate state Democrats' efforts against the proposed Amendment One anti-abortion amendment to the state Constitution.

"We are excited to have Lisa Carter and her depth of experience in this crucial fight fight for women and victims and against Amendment One," Herron said in a news release.

He said that if the federal Roe v. Wade decision is overturned, the proposed Amendment One "would let Tea Party Republicans compel Tennessee women to bear rapists' children and even deny couples the right to save the desperately ill wifel's life."

Carter's "job is to tell Tennesseans about this Tea Party Republican attempt to deny women, even victims of rape of incest of life-threatening disease the right to choose."

A native of Deland, Fla., Carter has been involved in a number of local, state and federal contests, Democrats say. She most recently worked as the communications director on Val Demings' mayoral and congressional races. Ms. Carter has also served as a campaign manager and in other capacities for Democratic candidates.

Amendment One is a proposed constitutional amendment on November general election ballot. It would overturn a 2000 Tennessee Supreme Court decision and grant state lawmakers more power to regulate and, Herron said, possibly even ban abortion if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned.

A recent Vanderbilt University poll last month showed that Tennesseans oppose by a three-to-one margin -- 71 percent to 23 percent -- "giving the state legislature the constitutional authority to regulate abortions."

Upcoming Events