PPNHAF PAC Endorses Mayor Joyce Craig for Re-election in Manchester

Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund PAC (PPNHAF PAC) announced on Monday that it has endorsed Mayor Joyce Craig for re-election in Manchester. The decision to endorse Mayor Joyce Craig was made by the organization’s political action committee, PPNHAF PAC.

Since being elected the first female mayor of Manchester in 2017, Mayor Craig has taken many significant measures to improve the health and safety of Manchester’s residents and increase the inclusivity of the community. Manchester is home to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England’s flagship health center in New Hampshire, and the non-profit organization has served every neighborhood in Manchester for decades, providing reproductive and sexual health care and education to women, men, and young people. Last year, the health center saw nearly 7,000 patients.

Statement from Sabrina Dunlap, Chair of Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund PAC:
“Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund PAC is proud to again endorse Mayor Joyce Craig for Manchester mayor. During her time as mayor, Joyce Craig has proven herself an incredible champion for a healthier Manchester for all its residents, including women, lower-income people, our youth, and the LGBTQ+ community. Joyce Craig’s leadership and vision for the future of the Queen City is a shared vision – a healthy Manchester where all residents have access to affordable health care, can exercise their rights, and live in a safe community.

Now more than ever, as politicians across the country are trying to roll back the clock on our rights, it is critical that we have partners in city hall who understand the importance of protecting the well-being of Granite Staters, particularly those who are marginalized and underserved. PPNHAF PAC knows Mayor Craig will continue to fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and basic human rights in New Hampshire’s Queen City.”

Background Information:

Mayor Craig was one of the first elected officials to oppose the Title X gag rule, which is now in effect, because of the threat it posed to health care access for Manchester’s Planned Parenthood patients. She signed a letter with 75 other Mayors nationwide in opposition to the Title X gag rule. She has made it clear that she will oppose funding cuts to the organization because she understands the importance of access to essential health care services, including contraception and STD testing and treatment, regardless of income or zip code.

Mayor Craig also supported and advocated for Medicaid expansion, which extended health care coverage to an additional 50,000 Granite Staters. Mayor Craig has dedicated her time in office to creating a more welcoming and inclusive city.

She is the first mayor to raise the LGBTQ+ pride flag at Manchester City Hall and has been an outspoken advocate for women, LGBTQ+ people, low-income people, people of color, and other underserved populations.

In contrast, Mayor Craig’s opponent, former State Representative Victoria Sullivan, actively worked to strip away reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights while in office:

Attempted to defund Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, risking health care access for its nearly 14,000 New Hampshire patients.
Opposed SB421, a law that increases access to birth control.
Supported conversion therapy, the dangerous, pseudoscientific practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation.
Spearheaded efforts to ban medically-accurate sex education from New Hampshire schools.

Joyce Craig is a mother of three teenagers and a lifelong resident of Manchester, who will continue her fight for all residents of the Queen City to lead healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. When elected in 2017 she became Manchester’s first female mayor.

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Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund PAC is the political committee operated within Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF) that makes candidate endorsements and gives financial contributions directly to candidates.

Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF) is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in New Hampshire. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.