Press Release California
Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses 34 Candidates for Election to the Michigan State Legislature
For Immediate Release: Thursday, October 6, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses 34 Candidates for Election to the Michigan State Legislature
Washington, DC —Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America announced its endorsement of 34 candidates for election to the Michigan State Legislature. Michigan—along with roughly half of the states in the country—is at risk of banning abortion now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. The state has a pre-Roe ban currently blocked by the courts, which could be rendered moot by an upcoming ballot measure that would enshrine reproductive freedom in the state constitution. It has never been more important to secure a state legislature that will protect and expand reproductive freedom.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
“The stakes for abortion access in Michigan this November are higher than ever, and we have to take every opportunity to seize on this moment. From the ballot measure to statewide races, there is no stone we can leave unturned if we want lasting reproductive freedom in Michigan. These candidates represent the boldest and most committed leaders ready to protect and expand abortion rights in this state, and we’re proud to endorse them.”
State Senate Endorsements:
- Sen. Erika Geiss (SD 01)
- Sen. Stephanie Chang (SD 03)
- Sen. Mary Cavanagh (SD 06)
- Sen. Mallory McMorrow (SD 08)
- Veronica Klinefelt (SD 11)
- Sue Shink (SD 14)
- Katybeth Davis (SD 16)
- Theresa Fougnie (SD 24)
- Sam Singh (SD 28)
- Sen. Winnie Brinks (SD 29)
- Kim Nagy (SD 31)
- John Braamse (SD 38)
State House Endorsements:
- Natalie Price (HD 05)
- Mike McFall (HD 08)
- Rep. Lori Stone (HD 13)
- Erin Byrnes (HD 15)
- Jason Hoskins (HD 18)
- Rep. Kelly Breen (HD 21)
- Rep. Alex Garza (HD 29)
- Reggie Miller (HD 31)
- Jimmie Wilson, Jr. (HD 32)
- John Dahlgren (HD 34)
- Joey Andrews IV (HD 38)
- Rep. Julie Rogers (HD 41)
- Justin Mendoza (HD 42)
- Carrie Rheingans (HD 47)
- Sarah May-Seward (HD 51)
- Shadia Martini (HD 54)
- Rep. Kara Hope (HD 74)
- Penelope Tsernoglou (HD 75)
- Emily Dievendorf (HD 77)
- John Fitzgerald (HD 83)
- Betsy Coffia (HD 103)
- Jenn Hill (HD 109)
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 Michigan during this critical moment in the fight for reproductive freedom. NARAL has previously endorsed Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel for reelection, among others in the state. This cycle, NARAL is rolling out a pilot program in Michigan with 14 organizers working on seven college campuses to enroll 14,000 voters, make 21,000 voter contacts, and recruit over 400 volunteers. 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.