Why the Senate Matters
We have seen unprecedented attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights from the administration and the Republican controlled Senate. From protecting abortion access to funding reproductive health programs, the Senate makes critical decisions that directly impact Planned Parenthood health center patients every day.
If you care about having a Senate that protects our health and rights, then join us in our efforts to turn the Senate pink in 2020.
Judicial Nominations & the Senate
If you didn’t already know, only the Senate confirms appointees to both the judicial and executive branches. We need a Senate that is committed to protecting health care access rather than focused on stripping us of our rights and freedoms.
With the Republican majority’s rubber stamp at the ready, the Trump-Pence administration has been working to reshape the landscape of federal judges at an alarming rate. Aside from naming and confirming two Supreme Court justices, one in four federal appellate judges (the next level of seniority) have been named by the administration and confirmed by Senate Republican leadership.
The Republican majority does not represent the majority of Americans, who overwhelmingly support Roe v. Wade and access to affordable reproductive health care. We need those who oppose sexual and reproductive health and rights back in the minority.
Every day, these and other federal judges are ruling on important cases that cover a range of topics, including whether to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA), protecting civil and human rights and, of course, the constitutional right to abortion access.
Election Information
Election Day:
Tues. Nov. 3, 2020
Primary/Caucus Day:
Varies by State
Know Your State's Voter Registration Rules
The Trump-Pence Administration is Quickly Reshaping Our Nation's Courts
Learn more on his picks.
Our Candidates for
the U.S. Senate
(Ongoing List)
Sara Gideon, Maine
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Sara Gideon has spent her career championing reproductive rights, including as speaker of the House in Maine.
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She was even a Planned Parenthood patient — she knows what’s at stake.
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Meanwhile: Incumbent Senator Susan Collins defended Brett Kavanaugh, solidifying a huge threat to Roe v. Wade. She is currently polling as the most unpopular member of the Senate.
Sara Gideon can win in Maine. The path to victory is clear — are you in?
Mark Kelly, Arizona
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There are over 270,000 Planned Parenthood supporters in Arizona. We're ready to win.
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Kelly is running against Martha McSally, who was appointed — not elected — to her seat after losing to a candidate who ran on a reproductive rights platform. Her approval rating is at 37%.
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He’s a longtime champion of reproductive rights, and he’s winning in the polls.
Mark Kelly can win in Arizona. The path to victory is clear — are you in?
Dr. Barbara Bollier, Kansas
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Last year, Kansas legislators introduced a bill that would require doctors to give fake information about “abortion reversals.” As a state legislator who cares about access to health care, Bollier was there to push back, though it took a Governor's veto to win. She’ll have more power in the Senate.
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She’s run for office before, and won: with our help, she can do it again.
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In 2018, pro-reproductive health advocate Laura Kelly won the governorship. If she can win a big statewide election, so can Bollier!
Dr. Barbara Bollier can win in Kansas. The path to victory is clear — are you in?
Jamie Harrison, South Carolina
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Harrison is challenging Lindsey Graham, who has called for a ban on abortion after 20 weeks. Meanwhile, Harrison has used his platform as DNC associate chairman to affirm his support for protecting our health and rights.
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Graham’s approval rating has dropped below 50%.
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We have over 80,000 supporters in South Carolina ready to bring home a win — we can do this!
Jamie Harrison CAN win in South Carolina. The path to victory is clear — are you in?
States To Watch
So far this election cycle, we’ve endorsed well over 200 candidates — and we’ll continue to endorse and invest in federal candidates across the country, including in key battlegrounds like Iowa, Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alaska, Montana, Texas, and Kentucky in the coming months.
* Please note that most of the "Champions to Re-Elect" are incumbent Senators with 100% scores on PPAF's scorecard. One exception is longtime champion Congressman Ben Ray Luján (NM-03), who is running for NM's open U.S Senate seat, vacated by fellow reproductive health champion Senator Tom Udall.
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Our Plan To Win
(It Includes You!)
There’s a lot going on in 2020 — if you’re looking to channel your energy in an powerful way to protect our reproductive health and rights, we have a plan for you!
Path to Victory:
To flip the Senate, we need to net four new seats this cycle.
— The top five most vulnerable incumbents, who have consistently voted against our reproductive health and rights, are all down in the polls. Four of them rank among the most unpopular Senators in the country.
(Reproductive health care is popular. Voting against it is not. We can flip these seats.)
We’re also looking at other seats across the country where people are fed up with regressive, anti-health care politicians who don’t represent them. Together, we can do this!
The Majority Leader
The Senate majority leader has more power than any other senator. In 2019 alone, the House passed over 275 bills — on topics ranging from gun control to climate change to raising the minimum wage — that the Senate refuses to consider due to the procedural power the office of Senate majority leader wields.
Need an example? Look no further than the debate over Title X;
Senate Republican leadership cancelled a committee markup of a spending bill rather than take a vote in support of birth control.
Republican leadership similarly blocked the Senate from even debating President Obama’s 2016 Supreme Court pick, while confirming that they would be sure to seat a Trump pick in 2020 if there were a similar vacancy.
We need to break up the current Republican Senate majority so we can protect and expand access to reproductive health care, alongside a broad swath of other crucial progressive issues.