In 2016, Sharifa Wahab shared a graphic animated video depicting an abortion on her Facebook account that was captioned, “Anyone who aborts a child is undoubtedly a murderer.”

The post has since been deleted, but Wahab — a caucus-backed Democrat running in Las Vegas’ Assembly District 35 — now says she believes that the decision to have an abortion should be left up to a patient and their doctor, even if she wouldn’t have one.

A Nevada Independent review of her social media accounts did not turn up any other anti-abortion sentiments.

“I regret sharing this Facebook post, and I can’t emphasize enough how it does not reflect my opinion on access to safe, legal abortion,” Wahab told The Nevada Independent in a Friday interview. “As a devout Muslim woman with a deep religious belief, I understand that abortion is not always a decision for some women, but that decision is her choice and between her and her physician.”

Her comments and past social media post comes as Nevada Democrats have doubled down on support for abortion rights in hopes that the issue’s popularity will help propel Democrats to victory, with the Assembly Democratic Caucus supporting pro-abortion rights candidates and emphasizing the need to protect access to the procedure in the Silver State. 

Abortion is legal up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy in Nevada because of a 1990 referendum, which can only be overturned by a majority vote of the people — and pro-abortion rights groups in the state are seeking to qualify another ballot question this election cycle to insert those legal protections into the state Constitution. 

Wahab said that the post shared more than eight years ago was a “mistake” that came about after clicking through various social media posts, and she had forgotten it existed until she was asked about it. 

Still, she emphasized her support of abortion access following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade and other state-led campaigns to limit reproductive services.

Though Wahab said she wouldn’t have an abortion, in part because of her faith, she wants other women to have the option to do so. Her sentiments echo state Sen. Dina Neal (D-North Las Vegas), who, before a vote last session on SJR7, a resolution seeking to enshrine abortion protections in the Nevada Constitution, revealed that she didn’t decide to have an abortion but believes people should have the choice to do so.

Wahab owns 1st Las Vegas Home Care, which provides elderly and disabled people with home-based, nonmedical care such as grocery shopping, meal preparation, running errands and housekeeping. She will face Gov. Joe Lombardo-endorsed candidate Dr. Rebecca Edgeworth, a Republican, in the general election, as no other candidates filed to run in the race. 

The district is considered a swing district, with about 29 percent of voters registered as Democrats, around 27 percent registered as Republicans and more than 35 percent registered as nonpartisan. Incumbent Assemblywoman Michelle Gorelow (D-Las Vegas) announced last year she would not be running for re-election.

“I will work every day in the state Legislature to protect Nevada women’s reproductive freedom and make sure no politician takes away a woman’s right to choose,” Wahab said.

Editor’s note: This story appears in Indy Elections, The Nevada Independent’s newsletter dedicated to comprehensive coverage of the 2024 elections. Sign up for the newsletter here.