The current political climate forecasts a blue wave washing over the country — clearly, it’s our best chance at protecting reproductive freedom if we focus our efforts and back the right candidates. There’s an ongoing debate about where abortion fits into the hierarchy of issues for our candidates. Words like “litmus test,” “single issue,” or “polarizing” are used to describe a fundamental right to abortion and birth control that 70% of American voters believe we should have. While the 2016 Democratic platform was the most progressive ever in protecting our rights, political leaders in every corner of the Democratic Party and the progressive universe still seem entirely too willing to abandon this critical foundational plank of our voting base. To our demise.
Let’s review the facts - a candidate for the United States Senate in Alabama firmly stood by his prochoice position and was resoundingly elected over a horse riding, gun toting, pedophile. But party leaders squandered the chance to affirm his prochoice choice stance. Both Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders said we should consider supporting candidates who are antichoice.
True progressives understand that comprehensive reproductive health care access, which must always include constitutionally protected abortion, is a foundational economic and social justice issue. Reproductive freedom is as much about healthcare as it is about economics, and that backing prochoice candidates is the only way to ensure that rights are protected for everyone for future generations.
That’s why the team at #VOTEPROCHOICE is committed to endorsing and electing 300 prochoice candidates in 2018. We’re calling it the #ROEvolution. Can you imagine what 300 prochoice candidates could do to protect Roe v Wade? Can you imagine how different state legislatures would be if prochoice champions swept their races? Can you imagine the feeling of empowerment and support women and transgender people would feel if the Democratic Party stood by its platform? That’s the opportunity of 2018 and we can’t miss it.
#VOTEPROCHOICE will release regular updates highlighting great prochoice candidates who are running up and down the ballot. Whether you live in their district or not, there are ways you can help these prochoice champions win. We are endorsing in primaries because we don’t have any patience for electing candidates who aren’t leading on reproductive freedom. The data shows us again and again that we never have to compromise on our rights. If a candidate isn’t willing to stand strong on reproductive freedom, then we shouldn’t elect them. There is too much at stake for too many people. Now, let us introduce you to our first round of candidates who have elections coming up:
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Marie Newman - A true progressive who believes that healthcare is a right for all Americans, not just for people with resources. As an advocate for Medicare for All, she’ll fight for your reproductive freedom and funding for Planned Parenthood — unlike her opponent Dan Lipinski, a so-called Democrat. It’s time for the Illinois 3rd congressional district to be represented by a real Democrat with true progressive values. Her primary is March 20, and recent internal polling indicates Marie has a chance to unseat her antichoice democratic challenger. With powerful prochoice champions Jan Schakowsky and Kirsten Gillibrand behind her, the stakes are high and the time is right for us to unseat this bad democrat. Just this week, Marie’s opponent distanced himself from supporting a $15 minimum wage, which is out-of-step with Democrats. If that’s not enough to make your blood boil, he also voted in favor of the abortion ban that passed the House in January. Illinois 3rd Congressional District went for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary by 8 points — indicating that Marie has a real shot of unseating Dan Lipinski March 20th. You support Marie’s campaign by donating what you can, signing up to volunteer, or by sharing this tweet.
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Joyce Mason - A tireless advocate for her community who is taking the fight
to the Illinois State House. As a survivor of domestic violence, Joyce is invested in improving the lives of other survivors and making sure abusers can't take advantage of current laws to continue their behavior. Joyce's time and experience in Human Relations exposed her to the harsh reality that many women face, witnessing the gender pay gap on a very personal level. Her opponent, Sheri Jesiel, is not only adamantly antichoice, but shockingly out of touch with voters' values in Illinois' 61 House District. Lasy year, Jesiel voted against HB40, a bill that would protect abortion access in Illinois if at the federal level Roe v Wade was repealed. While Joyce remains unopposed in her primary on March 20th, she could really use your donations to help print materials for ger grassroots campaign talking directly to voters in the district. Would you be willing to volunteer a couple of hours to help unseat this antichoice Republican who is out of touch with voters? We really dig Joyce's ground game and believe she can harness the resistance movement in Illinois all the way to the statehouse. She also courageously called out her opponent’s high rating from the National Rifle Association. Can you help her out with small dollar donation or by volunteering? If you’re not able to contribute in those ways to her campaign, would you consider sharing this tweet?
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Aryanna Berringer — A former veteran running for Pennsylvania's
Lieutenant Governor grew up as the youngest of 10 siblings, in a family that relied on initiatives like SNAP and Head Start; now, she’s determined to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have the services they need to survive. Aryanna even founded a nonprofit focused on nutrition policy to make sure that meals in schools and military bases are as healthy and local as possible. Thanks to the GI Bill, she was able to put herself through college and also received a Master’s Degree. A proud prochoice advocate, Aryanna will stop the rollback of reproductive rights in the Keystone state. She’s trying to unseat current Lt. Governor, Mike Stack who is not really the greatest guy. Recently, an internal investigation found that Stack verbally abused state employees assigned to him and his wife. In the political climate of #MeToo, there’s a powerful prochoice wave looking to oust the bad apples in politics, Aryanna, an Iraq war veteran, hopes to change the Old Boys Club dominating Pennsylvania politics. Pennsylvania has a long and tortured history electing antichoice Democrats to higher office. The most recent example being newcomer Connor Lamb, an antichoice democrat, running to replace loud and boisterous antichoice Tim Murphy who urged his mistress to have an abortion. Yikes. Clearly, we need a clear head, civically minded, and prochoice champion second in command. Enough is enough. If you’d like to help this veteran win her primary on May 15, consider donating what you can, spending a few hours volunteering for her campaign, or even sharing this on social media.
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Will Fisher — A progressive Democrat running to unseat Michael Burgess in
Texas’ 26 Congressional District. The district, held in Republican control for the past 3 decades, Burgess is a Republican who believes abortion is evil because the fetus can masturbate. Really. We’re not lying. Will’s a father, a husband, a lawyer, an Eagle Scout, and is proudly prochoice. Will understands that reducing access to abortion does not effectively reduce the number of abortions - it just makes them less safe. That’s why we’re endorsing this prochoice champion and we’re not alone in that as prochoice darling Wendy Davis, infamous for her 11-hour filibuster protect abortion access in Texas in 2013, has also endorsed Will. Will is committed to fighting for women's choice at all levels of government. On March 6, he’ll take on Linsey Fagan, a Democrat who consistently waivers on questions about women’s healthcare and access to abortion. We need to help Will in the primary and onto the general election! Donating what you can will help him with phone banking in the district and getting his name out there amongst voters. If you’ve got some spare time, consider volunteering with the campaign. He’s got a great group of volunteers you can join! Share this message about will on twitter if you have a chance. It’s time to oust Burgess. He’s has supported Trump policies in 100 percent of votes this session. And as Lewisville Texan reported, since coming into office in 2002, Burgess has been re-elected every two years, never getting less than 60 percent of the vote and getting as much as 82 percent in 2014 when the Democratic party did not field a candidate. Help this proudly prochoice champion by contributing to Will’s campaign, volunteering some of your time to reach out to voters in his district, or share this tweet on Twitter.
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Laura Moser — A 6th generation Houstonian, journalist, mother, and
progressive Democrat running to represent Texas’ 7 Congressional District, currently held by antichoice Republican John Culberson. The district, held in Republican control since its creation in 1966, is incredibly gerrymandered. While the district supports reproductive rights, Culberson continuously has voted to defund Planned Parenthood. He even for the House Republican health care plan to kick 23 million people off their insurance. Laura Moser felt compelled to enter the political arena after the 2016 election. She said “But once that disaster happened, I felt compelled, like so many other women all over the nation, to do something. I founded Daily Action in my living room, and soon we had over 300,000 subscribers. It was a thrilling feeling to notch up victories, however small, against the onslaught of cruelties of the new administration. I realized that a person like me really could make a difference.” It’s time that Houstonians had a candidate who represented their values, not the values of a fringe right hate group. Trust us, she’s a champion of reproductive rights. At 15, she was protecting the local clinic from antichoice activists in town for the Republican convention. If you’re inspired by Laura’s passion to represent her community, consider making a contribution to her campaign, volunteer for the campaign, or even share this tweet amongst your followers. Texans deserve critical abortion services.
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Anne Stava-Murray — A progressive (and pregnant!) prochoice champion
running to represent Illinois 81 House District. She unofficially founded the local chapter of the Women's March and lobbied the local government on prochoice positions. Unfortunately, the current official, a smarmy republican named David Olsen, was appointed to the position in 2006 and shows no signs of supporting reproductive rights in Illinois. Looking over his biography listed on his website it’s clear he has larger political aspirations. Anne Stava-Murray on the other hand, went to Springfield to lobby Olsen on HB40, legislation that provides state health insurance and Medicaid coverage for abortions. Stava-Murray, a prochoice advocate understood the importance of including abortion services in the state health insurance and Medicaid. David Olsen disagreed, siding with many tea party Republicans in the state and voted against the measure that was later signed into law. Since the district’s population is made up of over 54% women, Stava-Murray can’t comprehend why David Olsen would vote against their reproductive rights and freedoms. Reproductive Rights is Anne’s top issue and her campaign slogan aptly worded “Your voice, Your choice” highlights the incredible chance women have to make an impact in this district. If you’re inspired by Anne’s enthusiasm to protect reproductive freedom, consider making a contribution to the campaign, volunteer some of your time, or share this tweet with your community.
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Alexandra Eidenberg — A progressive Democrat running for Illinois 17
House District. The seat, held by Democrat Laura Fine is open because Fine is running for State Senate. Alexandra is running in a crowded field and separates herself from the rest of the progressive slate by her consistent advocacy work on behalf of the non-profit she founded We Will Women in Springfield. She’s lobbied the state government for equal pay. She’s worked to create a fairer criminal justice system by advocating to legalize cannabis. She’s also fighting for fair wages and as a small business owner, she understands the economic importance of families and communities thriving. If you’d like to help Alexandra in her competitive primary, consider making a donation, volunteering some of your time, or sharing this tweet out to your community.
Stay tuned for future updates about additional powerful prochoice champions endorsed by #VOTEPROCHOICE. In many of these races, we have a chance to unseat a mediocre politician (usually white, usually male) who is proactively seeking to limit our reproductive freedom.
If you know of prochoice champions who deserve our endorsement, let us know who they are and what seat they’re running for! We’ll reach out to the candidate and encourage them to seek our endorsement. If you’re running for office and believe abortion access is a right, consider applying for our endorsement. Our endorsement comes with connections to expert consultants, access to key vendors and voting data, a mean digital strategist team, and even more opportunities for first-time candidates.
Since our vetting process focuses on candidate’s positions on reproductive rights, their solid progressive values, and a litany of important measures impacting abortion and health like maternal death rate, doing what you can to help elect these candidates will create a future where progressive values are thriving across state and local governments.
We are a prochoice nation. It’s time for us to #VOTEPROCHOICE.