NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Endorsements
Leading Pro-Choice Organization Announces Endorsements
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Gives Early Support to 100% Pro-Choice Candidates.
SEATTLE- With close races for statewide offices and the state legislature expected, the candidates’ positions on reproductive rights will be a determining factor this year. Recognizing the salience of the issue, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington today announced its list of highly sought after early endorsements.
“The voters of Washington have a right to know where the candidates stand on the important issue of a woman’s right to choose”, said Karen Cooper, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. “Many anti-choice candidates are trying to hide their extremist right-wing positions, NARAL will not let them hide. We are a pro-choice state and candidates’ positions on this issue matter to the voters of our state”, she continued.
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington offered a dual endorsement to the two pro-choice candidates for Governor, Ron Sims (D) and Christine Gregoire (D). “Both Sims and Gregoire have long histories of standing up for a woman’s right to choose”, Cooper said. “In contrast, Dino Rossi is an anti-choice extremist whose views are out of step with the pro-choice majority in our state” she continued. “Dino Rossi once responded to a question about choice by saying that 90-100 years ago America gave women better options. Ninety to one hundred years ago American women did not even have the right to vote. I don’t think this is the kind of person Washingtonians want as their governor”, Cooper concluded.
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington endorsed Laura Ruderman (D), candidate for Secretary of State, over her pro-choice opponent Sam Reed (R) based on Ruderman’s history as a strong advocate for choice. “When Laura first ran for the state legislature in 1998 she came to NARAL and asked for our help. She has stood by us and has been a tireless advocate for the rights of women ever since and that is why we are standing by her now”, Cooper explained. Ruderman demonstrated the important role the Secretary of State can play in protecting choice by working to encourage voter registration. “When there is high voter turn-out pro-choice candidates and initiatives win in our state” Cooper said.
Deborah Senn (D), candidate for Attorney General also received endorsement over her pro-choice primary opponent Mark Sidran (D). “Senn has been a tireless advocate for choice”, Cooper said. “As insurance commissioner, she worked for contraceptive equity and was an outspoken proponent of choice.” Given U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft’s recent attempts to subpoena the private medical records of women who have had abortions, it is clear that Washington needs an Attorney General we can trust to uphold our state laws and protect the women of our state against invasions by our federal government.
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington endorsed both Barbara Madsen and Terry Lukens in the race for Supreme Court Position 5. “Clearly a judge’s position on choice is very important” Cooper explained, “you only need to take a look at Bush’s success stacking the federal courts with anti-choice extremists to see that a judge’s position on choice is important.” Cooper continued “the voters can trust both Barbara Madsen and Terry Lukens to uphold the pro-choice laws in our state.”
“We endorsed in a few races where there is more than one pro-choice candidate”, Cooper said. “In accordance with our existing policies, we endorse candidates who have a long history of publicly advocating for a woman’s right to choose – candidates who we can trust to use their offices to protect and expand the rights of women in Washington.”
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington recognizes that the positions of candidates on choice will be critical in this election year. With the extreme anti-choice environment created by the Bush administration, it is essential that we elect pro-choice candidates at all levels of our state government.
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is the leading grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization in Washington state. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington endorses 100% pro-choice candidates. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington PAC works to elect candidates committed to protecting the full range of reproductive health options, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is the state affiliate of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Endorsements in federal races will be made by NARAL Pro-Choice America.
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