David Owen Doesn't Want Voters To Choose

In one of Virginia’s most competitive House of Delegates races, Del. David Owen (R-Henrico) is making abortion restrictions the centerpiece of his re-election bid, aligning himself with some of the nation’s most extreme anti-choice groups and doubling down on a record that reproductive rights advocates say endangers women’s health and freedom.

Last month, Owen appeared at Bloom Pregnancy Resource Center in Henrico, a so-called “crisis pregnancy center.” These facilities, which masquerade as medical clinics, are designed to dissuade women from choosing abortion, often relying on scare tactics rather than science. Medical experts have condemned such centers as unethical and even dangerous, warning that they can mislead patients into thinking they are receiving legitimate care while missing serious diagnoses. Bloom’s own website warns that abortion “could HURT YOU,” citing risks of “heavy bleeding” and “infection”—claims widely dismissed as medically inaccurate and meant to frighten women away from safe abortion care. Despite this, Owen praised the center and joined anti-abortion groups in celebrating their work.

His commitment to restricting reproductive freedom extends beyond campaign stops. Speaking at a recent fundraiser with Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, Owen openly argued that Republicans like him must be re-elected to block a proposed constitutional amendment that would protect abortion rights in Virginia. He told supporters that if Democrats maintain control of the House, voters will be able to weigh in on reproductive freedom, marriage equality, and voting rights expansion at the ballot box in 2026—an outcome he described as unacceptable.

Backing up Owen’s efforts are some of the most hardline anti-abortion groups in the country. The Virginia Family Foundation’s political arm has canvassed on his behalf, while its leadership has donated directly to his campaign. The group supports banning abortion from the moment of conception and has long pushed narratives about a “culture of death” in the United States. National organizations have also rallied behind Owen, most notably the Susan B. Anthony List, whose president once called exceptions for rape “abominable.” The group has invested heavily in Virginia to elect House Republicans willing to roll back reproductive rights, and it has already been knocking doors for Owen in his Henrico-based district.

Owen’s legislative record shows that his rhetoric is matched by action. In the General Assembly, he has voted against enshrining abortion as a constitutional right, supported measures that would allow law enforcement to seize menstrual cycle data from digital devices, and opposed protections for Virginia doctors who provide abortion care to patients traveling from out of state. Even before his election, he proudly labeled himself “pro-life” and pledged to pursue changes to Virginia’s abortion laws.

The stakes in this race could not be higher. Vice President Kamala Harris carried Owen’s district by nearly ten points in 2024, and Virginia political observers have labeled the contest one of the most competitive in the state this year. For regular people, the race is about safeguarding reproductive freedom and ensuring voters have the chance to enshrine those rights in the state constitution. For Owen, it is about aligning with the far right to block that possibility before Virginians ever get a say.

As Election Day approaches, voters in Henrico will have to decide whether to send Owen back to the General Assembly to continue his crusade against reproductive rights—or to choose a different path, one that protects personal freedom and guarantees Virginians control over their own healthcare decisions.