New Hampshire Republican defends child marriage

Also inside: Mysterious billboards in WI remind voters of Trump’s Jeffrey Epstein connection

It’s 2024 and we still have Republicans out here defending child marriage.

That’s right. A New Hampshire Republican earlier this month defended the practice of child marriage during a hearing on the bill.

“When we do this to people who are of ripe, fertile age and may have a pregnancy and a baby involved, are we not in fact, making abortion a much more desirable alternative when marriage might be the right solution for some freedom-loving couples?” State Rep. Jess Edwards asked.

Edwards’ remarks went viral on social media and drew national headlines.

Despite Edwards’ opposition, the state legislature ultimately passed a bill that would ban child marriage and raise the age of marriage to 18, without exceptions, up from the current minimum age of 16. The bill has been sent to Gov. Sununu for his signature.

While Edwards’ remarks are particularly extreme, they’re not too many steps removed from the Republican mainstream, which is actively targeting women’s bodily autonomy and reproductive rights—rights that will once again be on the line in November. 

More from COURIER’s other newsrooms:

WISCONSIN

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FLORIDA

Florida’s 6-week abortion ban could hurt uninsured women the most

From Floricua: Dr. Cecilia Grande says Florida’s six-week abortion ban that went into effect May 1 will especially hurt women who lack health insurance due to Republicans’ continued refusal to support the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.

NEVADA

An Interview with Chasten Buttigieg: LGBTQ rights could be at stake in November election

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PENNSYLVANIA

School districts working with anti-LGBTQ groups can cost your kids’ schools millions

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ARIZONA

Two Arizona State Senators were indicted in the 2020 fake election scheme

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IOWA

Advocates file suit to stop Iowa’s ‘unconstitutional’ immigration law

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NORTH CAROLINA

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VIRGINIA

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MICHIGAN

Elissa Slotkin promises to defend ACA, Social Security, and Medicare

From The ‘Gander: As she runs to become Michigan’s next Senator, Elissa Slotkin wants voters to know that Republicans are still very much targeting the programs they rely on for healthcare and retirement security.

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