Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey Endorses Phil Murphy for Governor
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August, 10, 2017

Contact: Casey Olesko 201.647.5502 / [email protected]

Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey Endorses Phil Murphy for Governor

TRENTON, NJ – Surrounded by supporters in pink t-shirts and endorsed candidates from across New Jersey, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey joined Phil Murphy in Trenton today to officially endorse his candidacy for governor.

“For the past seven and a half years, New Jersey has had a governor who disgracefully cut funding for reproductive health care services, like cancer screenings, birth control, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases,” said Christine Sadovy, Political and Legislative Director with Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. “Now, we have the opportunity to elect a new leader – Phil Murphy – who will stand up for reproductive health and work to ensure that women across New Jersey can access the care they need, when they need it.”

Since being elected, Governor Christie has slashed funding for reproductive health care without a second thought. In his very first budget, he eliminated a longstanding line item for family planning services like cancer screenings and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Now, New Jersey faces public health crises: a 35 percent increase in cases of bacterial STDs since 2009, and an increase in breast and cervical cancer cases with a disproportionate impact on communities of color, including an alarming 25.1 percent increase in Latinas – but the Christie administration has busily found reasons to downplay these alarming statistics.

With all the uncertainty at the federal level around the future of access to health care, now is the time to elect a new Governor who will work to protect and expand access to reproductive health care. Phil Murphy has pledged to restore funding for family planning services – funding that will help address the alarming increases in STDs and cancer cases. Murphy will be a strong leader for accessible birth control, ensuring that contraception remains available to New Jersey women with no out-of-pocket costs. Murphy’s running mate, Sheila Oliver, has consistently stood up to Governor Christie and voted to restore family planning funding – in fact, she maintains a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey.

We cannot rest while reproductive rights are under attack – and we know that Phil Murphy will stand strong with us, making sure that women can access reproductive health care, regardless of their income or their zip code. This election will set the stage for reproductive care and rights in our state – and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey will be at the forefront, engaging with voters across the state and making clear that women’s health is a key issue for voters in this election.

To underscore the importance of these issues to New Jersey voters, recent polling from the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers showed that 78 percent of New Jersey voters – including 46 percent of Republicans – support state funding for family planning services, and 76 percent of New Jersey voters support access to birth control with no out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, 84 percent of registered voters believe Medicaid should continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood for reproductive health and preventive care services – reimbursements which are under attack as Congress attempts to “defund” Planned Parenthood at the federal level.

Every year, more than 90,000 individuals visit Planned Parenthood health centers in New Jersey for a wide range of preventive reproductive health care services, such as lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screenings, affordable birth control, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Electing Phil Murphy will help ensure that these patients can continue access the health care they rely upon to lead safe, healthy lives.

Photos and video of today’s endorsement event are available at www.facebook.com/ppactionnj.