Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses 21 Candidates for Election to the Pennsylvania State Legislature
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses 21 Candidates for Election to the Pennsylvania State Legislature
Washington, DC — Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America endorsed 21 reproductive freedom champions and future leaders running for election in the Pennsylvania State Legislature. In these highly contested seats, these candidates have exhibited unwavering dedication to preserving the right to abortion in the battleground state.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
“Anti-choice Republicans are a direct threat to abortion rights and access in the Commonwealth—so we’re leaving no stone unturned in our fight to elect champions up and down the ballot this November. Pennsylvanians know what’s at stake – if the GOP stays in control, they will ban abortion in the state. That’s why NARAL members are out in full force with Pennsylvanians: to make it resoundingly clear at the ballot box that these fundamental rights are not up for debate, and people who want to restrict them don’t belong in office. ”
State Senate Endorsements:
- Ann Marie Mitchell (SD 06)
- Mark Pinsley (SD 16)
State House Endorsements:
- Paul Friel (HD 26)
- Tim Brennan (HD 29)
- Arvind Venkat (HD 30)
- Rep. Liz Hanbidge (HD 61)
- Denise Maris (HD 76)
- Marty Qually (HD 91)
- Fern Leard (HD 120)
- Anna Thomas (HD 137)
- Meg Rosenfeld (HD 139)
- Mark Moffa (HD 142)
- Gwen Stoltz (HD 143)
- Brian Munroe (HD 144)
- Melissa Cerrato (HD 151)
- Rep. Christina Sappey (HD 158)
- Cathy Spahr (HD 160)
- Rep. Leanne Krueger (HD 161)
- Lisa Borowski (HD 168)
- Ilya Breyman (HD 178)
- Tarah Probst (HD 189)
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe 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 enforcing extreme or total bans on abortion. The people hurt most by attacks on reproductive freedom 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 in Pennsylvania during this critical moment in the fight for reproductive freedom. NARAL has previously endorsed Attorney General Josh Shapiro for governor and Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman for U.S. Senate, among others in the state. 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.