Planned Parenthood Action Fund Celebrates Former Planned Parenthood Staff and Patients Sweeping Elections Across the Country 

Seven former Planned Parenthood staff and patients endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund will be heading to Congress or run-off elections in January  

Washington, DC – Planned Parenthood Action Fund congratulates seven former Planned Parenthood staff and self-identified former patients on their elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Because of their experience, these candidates are especially qualified to lead the work of protecting and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care.

Former Planned Parenthood staff:

• Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota
• Representative-elect Nikema Williams of Georgia

Self-identified former Planned Parenthood patients:

• Rep. Katie Porter of California
• Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware
• Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico
• Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin 

Other candidates with personal sexual & reproductive health backgrounds:

• Rep. Lizzie Fletcher of Texas, a former Planned Parenthood volunteer leader
• Rev. Raphael Warnock of Geogia, a former sex educator, is heading to a runoff election to represent the people of Georgia in the Senate.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

“We are so proud of the former Planned Parenthood staff and former self-identified patients elected yesterday. They won by making clear that they will fight for popular policies, like protecting and expanding sexual and reproductive health access, passing crucial COVID-19 relief, addressing the history of systemic racism in this country, defending health care access for millions, and more. The Action Fund is also deeply thankful to our candidates who ran hard-fought campaigns that didn’t break our way — their communities will never forget how they stood up for their reproductive health and rights, and neither will we.

“Starting in January, these new leaders in Congress will leverage their personal experiences to be allies in the fight for reproductive rights and will work tirelessly to dismantle harmful policies that have put people’s health and well-being at risk over the last four years. Planned Parenthood Action Fund cannot wait to work with them and the other reproductive rights champions in Congress and states across the country to create a world where every person can access the vital health care they need."

In January, Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations launched “We Decide 2020,” our combined people-powered electoral program to elect champions for reproductive rights up and down the ballot in 2020. Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations across the country worked to mobilize 16 million Planned Parenthood supporters to help people get involved and build on their power for this election. “We Decide 2020” was Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations’ largest electoral program ever.  

Planned Parenthood Votes, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations supported sexual and reproductive health champions, like Planned Parenthood alumnae Senator Tina Smith and Rep.-elect Nikema Williams, by investing $45 million with an emphasis on reaching women, young voters, and voters of color. Nationally, the combined programs contacted more than 5.5 million voters in key battleground states. The victories of Smith and Williams are further proof that supporting reproductive rights is not only the right thing to do, it is also good politics.

###

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy and electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.