Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Reproductive Freedom Champions and Leaders for Statewide Office in Three Key States
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 29, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Reproductive Freedom Champions and Leaders for Statewide Office in Three Key States
The nation’s leading reproductive freedom advocacy group endorses two gubernatorial candidates in Alaska and Oregon and one attorney general candidate in Massachusetts
Washington, DC — Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America announced three critical endorsements for statewide office: former State Representative Les Gara for Alaska governor, former Speaker of the State House Tina Kotek for Oregon governor, and former Boston City Council President Andrea Campbell for Massachusetts attorney general. These candidates have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to fighting for abortion rights in their respective states and will continue to build momentum for reproductive freedom until and after election day.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
“Republicans are plowing ahead with extremist attacks on our freedoms even as it gets clearer that their out-of-touch agenda is poised to fail with the 8 in 10 Americans who support the right to abortion. We are proud to endorse these three candidates who will protect and restore reproductive freedom. So much is on the line this November and we must ensure the decision to start or grow a family remains in our own hands.”
These candidates bring a wealth of experience and dedication to advancing reproductive freedom for the people they are running to serve. Former state Rep. Les Gara has made abortion rights a central issue in his gubernatorial election, pledging to ask future judicial nominees if they will honor Alaska’s pro-choice case precedent and protect abortion and contraception access in the state. Former Speaker of the State House Tina Kotek, who also served in the Oregon legislature as president pro tempore and majority leader, has consistently fought to protect abortion rights in Oregon. Former Boston City Council President Andrea Campbell made history as the first Black woman to serve as council president and has pledged to defend and expand reproductive health care by protecting abortion providers as the next Attorney General of Massachusetts.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—ending the constitutional right to abortion and opening the door for extremist state lawmakers to put total bans on abortion in place. This decision is already having a devastating impact throughout the country as 15 states are currently enforcing extreme bans on abortion. The people hurt most by these bans and restrictions are those who already face barriers to accessing abortion care—including women; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; those working to make ends meet; the LGBTQ+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities.
These endorsements come as NARAL Pro-Choice America is ramping up its work to elect candidates up and down the ballot during a critical moment in the fight for reproductive freedom. On Wednesday, NARAL announced the launch of the final phase of its “Fight Back for Freedom” electoral program, powered by its 4 million-member strong grassroots movement. NARAL, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and EMILY’s List announced a partnership in May to collectively spend a historic $150 million on the 2022 midterms to elect reproductive freedom champions up and down the ballot across the country. Read more about NARAL’s endorsed candidates here.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.