Connecticut Democrats blasted former President Donald Trump’s new running mate on Tuesday, calling Ohio Sen. JD Vance an extremist on abortion and reproductive rights.

But advocacy groups also remain nervous about President Joe Biden’s chances against Trump, amid calls for the president to drop out of the race.

At Planned Parenthood in New Haven, they are watching the 2024 race nervously.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, nearly two dozen states have severely limited abortion access. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England has seen a 147% increase in out-of-state patients this year.

“Abortion care is health care,” said Dr. Nancy Stanwood, Planned Parenthood’s chief medical officer. “And it should be accessible to everyone.”

Stanwood is especially nervous after Trump announced Vance as his vice presidential pick on Monday.

Vance has previously compared abortion to slavery, and supported bans with no exceptions for rape or incest.

“It’s not whether a woman should be forced to bring a child to term; it's whether a child should be allowed to live,” Vance told Spectrum News Ohio in 2021. “Even though the circumstances of that child's birth are somehow inconvenient, or a problem to the society.”

But Vance’s views have shifted to match Trump, who pushed for Republicans to drop a national abortion ban from their platform for the first time in 40 years. Shortly after his nomination, Vance told FOX News that abortion should be left to the states.

“My view is that Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party, and his views on abortion are going to be the views that dominate this party and drive this party forward," Vance said.

Last week, Vance also expressed support for the abortion pill Mifepristone “being accessible” on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

But Democratic Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz warned that Vance holds “very radical views.” “He is opposed to abortion, even in cases of rape and incest,” she said. “There is an all-out assault on women's reproductive rights.”

NERVOUS ABOUT BIDEN

Polls show that reproductive rights are Democrats’ strongest issue this fall. But advocacy groups are nervous about Biden’s ability to make the case. During last month’s nationally televised debate, he gave jumbled and nonsensical responses to questions about abortion rights.

When asked if he supports some restrictions on abortion, Biden said he “supports Roe v. Wade, which had three trimesters. The first time is between a woman and a doctor. Second time is between a doctor and an extreme situation. A third time is between the doctor, I mean, between the women and the state.”

Despite that, veteran Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-New Haven) said Biden should stay in the race – even as polls show a majority of Democratic voters believe he is too old and want him to drop out. Even DeLauro's husband, Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg, has repeatedly warned the campaign "that Biden is on track to lose the election – and in a way that does deep damage to other Democratic candidates," CNN reported.

“It was a terrible performance,” DeLauro acknowledged. “I believe that he can make the case on abortion. I think he's done it. All you have to do is take a look at what he has said, and what he has done, and what he is doing.”

DeLauro isn’t the only Connecticut Democrat sticking with Biden. So far, only Rep. Jim Himes (D-Greenwich) has called for him to drop out – although Gov. Ned Lamont said, “we come to the same conclusion.”