not only are we tracking the highly contested legislative districts across the state we are also looking at the issues that are driving voters to the polls yesterday we focused on parental rights today it is abortion and women's Reproductive Rights since row was overturned more than a year ago Governor Murphy has made Reproductive Rights a priority declaring the state a safe haven for women and now Democrats are capitalizing on the issue telling residents that a vote for republicans could erode the Reproductive Rights now codified as law in New Jersey to break it all down healthc care reporter Lilo Stainton joins me so Lilo why is abortion or women's reproductive rights such a big issue factoring in this election here in the state well it is kind of a surprise right because we believe or it seems that this is a settled issue right one would think in New Jersey we have abortion is protected in law it's protected in the Constitution um insurance is supposed to pay for it there are lots of reasons to think this is a safe right well Democrats are really using this issue right one of the reasons you're hearing about it is because it gets Democratic voters to the polls right so apparently no issue other than abortion moves Democrats like this so part of it is just big big gov um effort but I you know there's also some suggestion in while Republicans are generally kind of ignoring this issue or seeding that it's settled I think there's they're also like sort of planting some seeds that suggest they might try to Tinker around the edges right so there are things they could do so it might change or they might try to change it as going forward well you kind of touched on this we know that Jersey is undeniably a blue state right according to a poll in February MTH poll in February 62% of people here in Jersey identify as pro-choice right right so are Democrats doing a good job when it comes to really convincing voters to go to the poll to vote well I guess you know we'll have to see how that comes out um early voting's just starting um so I think you know still TB TBD but um it's definitely catching people's attention right they have these ads with like you know warning Texas style abortion bans coming to New Jersey so you know and you know maps of Texas and lots of flames and like the end of the world messaging um and this is I mean I'm not trying to to belittle this issue it's a huge issue it's really important to voters it's really important to women we're of course not just talking about abortion we're talking about you know access to Planned Parenthood where you can get cancer screenings birth control all kinds of other things and you know there is a history as Democrats are pointing out that even if the it's protected Governor Murphy said you know he reminded people recently that you know under Chris Christie they defunded certain programs so you know there are ways Republicans could make change um if they're elected in a majority and actually have control a lot of ifs there but well is that the Counterattack yeah I mean some of the Counterattack is actually like don't bother with that we've got other issues and to Republicans credit they've really been able to use this issue of Parental notification particularly in schools I mean do you think that this is the issue you that could win that Red Wave yeah I I don't think so I mean I feel like you know they the the whole affordability how much it cost to live in New Jersey property taxes are always those sort of perennial things polling has also shown more interest than some of us suspected behind this parental rights parental notification issue that issue is definitely going to move voters um on the Republican side we will see what happens I'm ready for those campaigns yeah those ads yeah those ads they're there're something yeah Lilo Staiton and thank you for joining me thanks [Music]