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Press Release
NARAL Expands Ad Campaign in Battleground State of Michigan to Boost Sen. Gary Peters in Final Days of Critical Election
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Contact: [email protected]
Washington, DC — Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America launched a six-figure expansion of its ad campaign in Michigan to help boost Senator Gary Peters in his reelection campaign against Republican John James.
The new Michigan ads target key voters and spotlight James’ extremist agenda, which includes putting his anti-choice ideology over science amidst a global pandemic, undoing Roe v. Wade, ripping away people’s ability to make their own decisions about reproductive care, and gutting the Affordable Care Act (which protects 1.7 million Michiganders with pre-existing conditions.)
Examples of the ads can be seen here.
This latest ad campaign is part of NARAL’s unprecedented $34.7 million political program for the 2020 elections, which includes running digital ads and GOTV tactics through election day in Michigan and other key Senate battleground states Arizona, Iowa, Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
Statement from Adrienne Kimmell, NARAL Pro-Choice America Chief Research and Communications Officer
“The contrast in this important race could not be starker: Senator Gary Peters is a tried and true champion for Michigan’s women and families, and John James is a Trump sycophant who puts his own political agenda before Michiganders’ health and fundamental freedoms. We know that when John James’ selfish and dangerous agenda is in plain sight for Michigan voters to see, the stakes become crystal clear. NARAL is working in overdrive to reach a large swath of voters in Michigan and expose John James’ draconian ideology while mobilizing key voters to send Senator Peters back to the U.S. Senate where he will continue to fight tirelessly for reproductive freedom.”
Earlier this month, Senator Peters became the first sitting U.S. senator to share his personal story about abortion. In an interview with Elle Magazine, he shared how his then-wife, Heidi, was denied access to abortion care because of the hospital’s anti-choice policy, nearly resulting in her death. She was ultimately able to obtain lifesaving, time-sensitive abortion care at another hospital. Senator Peters’ story illustrates the real-life stakes for people when politicians try to insert themselves in people’s personal decisions — a dangerous ideology that John James wholly embraces and would pursue relentlessly if elected. Michigan never repealed its 173-year-old law banning abortion, which means that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion could become illegal overnight in the state.
In recent days, John James, who wants to end the ACA, has miserably failed to explain how he would protect people with pre-existing conditions. An anti-choice extremist, James also does not support exceptions for abortion even in the case of rape or incest and has publicly vowed to “fight until we end abortion.” His extreme views on abortion are incompatible with the overwhelming majority of people in this country– including the 77% of Americans who support Roe v. Wade and the 77% of Michiganders (including a majority of Independent and Republican voters) who agree that decisions about pregnancy should be made by the woman with the support of the people she loves and trusts.
Reproductive freedom has strong majority support nationwide, in Michigan and battleground states:
- Support for Roe v. Wade is the highest it has been in decades: 77% of Americans support the legal right to abortion and do not want to see Roe overturned. (Marist/ PBS/ NPR)
- In August, NARAL released new polling showing that voters in battleground states– North Carolina, Arizona, Michigan, and Iowa — support reproductive freedom and reject banning abortion. The strong majority support for reproductive freedom also underscores how out-of-touch Trump and Republicans are with the American public on the issue of abortion.
- In Michigan, a large majority (74%) of voters believe abortion should be legal and that the government should not prevent a woman from making that decision for herself. Just 12% say they would only consider voting for a candidate who supports banning abortion in the November election.
- 77% agree, with 60% in strong agreement, that any decision about pregnancy should be made by the woman with the support of people she loves and trusts, while just 19% disagree. This also includes 79% of independent voters and 57% of Republicans.
- Despite anti-choice lawmakers’ unprecedented barrage of attacks across the country, there is no state where banning abortion is popular.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters have fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom—including access to abortion, contraception, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its more than 2.5 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 7 in 10 Americans who believe every person should have the freedom to make the best decision for themselves about if, when, and how to raise a family.
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