NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Endorses Dow Constantine for King County Executive
Constantine and Hutchison are sharply divided on women’s rights and health Based on early returns, Dow Constantine and Susan Hutchison have advanced to the general election race for King County executive. As a strong and vocal advocate for a woman’s right to choose, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is endorsing Constantine for executive. “From his time as a state legislator to his current role on the King County Council, Dow Constantine has been a champion for women’s health and the right to choose,” said Lauren Simonds, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. “He is now the only pro-choice candidate in the race, and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington enthusiastically endorses him.” “Dow Constantine has shown that he understands and prioritizes women’s reproductive health care needs, and has time and again supported measures to increase access to family planning care,” added Simonds. “Constantine is the clear choice for King County.” In stark contrast to Constantine’s 100% pro-choice record, Susan Hutchison is an anti-choice conservative who refuses to discuss either her position on the right to choose or the critical role the county plays in providing reproductive health care. “From her financial support of staunch anti-choice candidates like George W. Bush and Mike Huckabee to her former affiliation with the creationist Discovery Institute, it is clear that Hutchison is far to the right of the voters of King County,” Simonds said. “That is why she goes to such great pains to avoid revealing her positions on issues like women’s health.” Susan Hutchison declined to submit a NARAL candidate questionnaire, and instead submitted a statement that included, “The issues surrounding abortion are not relevant to the King County executive race.” When questioned about this statement on KUOW’s “The Conversation” (June 17, 2009), Hutchison reiterated her misguided notion that the county has no impact on women’s health. She repeated this position in an interview with the seattlepi.com on July 20, 2009. “Hutchison may not want to admit it, but the issues of choice and access to family planning care are of critical importance to the King County executive race,” added Simonds. “We need an executive who will defend programs that expand access to women’s health care.” “That is why NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is mobilizing our members and activists to expose Hutchison as an anti-choice conservative and elect pro-choice Dow Constantine as King County executive,” said Simonds.
King County and Women’s Health: - Funding for family planning care: King County operates 9 family planning service centers that provide contraception; STD testing; breast and cervical cancer screenings; pregnancy, adoption and abortion counseling; and maternity and prenatal care for the county’s most marginalized women and teens: the poor, uninsured, communities of color, and non-English speaking.
- This program provides 36,000 visits a year to over 19,000 individuals (King County website).
- King County has recognized that public spending on family planning care is cost effective, and has prioritized family planning as a means to promote the health and socioeconomic advancement of women and their families.
Support for school-based health centers: Through a partnership with the City of Seattle and other entities, King County runs 14 school-based and school-linked health centers, which are comprehensive primary care clinics for young people at or nearby their schools. (King County website).
Comprehensive sexual health education curriculum: King County family planning health educators provide training and resources for teachers on a wide rage of sexual health topics, including sexuality, family planning and birth control. The county also provides the comprehensive F.L.A.S.H. curriculum to schools free of charge.
Leadership on access to local clinics: With the rise in violent anti-choice extremism at women’s health care clinics, it is critical that law enforcement at all levels work to keep women and doctors safe. The King County executive can take a leadership role together with the Sheriff’s Office to make sure our laws are enforced to help ensure clinic safety.
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is the leading grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization in Washington state. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington works to protect every woman’s right to access 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. ###
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