In A Show Of Force, EMILY’s List, MoveOn, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Democracy for America Endorse Marie Newman’s Primary Challenge To Dan Lipinski 

Organizations Will Back Newman in Effort to Defeat Ant-Choice, Anti-LGTBQ Rights, and Anti-Worker Democratic Rep. Lipinski 

Today, a coalition of leading progressive organizations announced their joint endorsement of Marie Newman in her campaign to represent Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District. This group includes EMILY’s List,  MoveOn, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), and Democracy for America (DFA), which endorsed Newman for a second time late last month. Collectively, these groups represent millions of hardworking, grassroots members nationwide and tens of thousands in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District. 

Newman is seeking to unseat Representative Dan Lipinski, an anti-choice, anti-LGTBQ rights, and anti-worker Democratic incumbent.

The joint endorsement comes as Newman’s campaign gains momentum in her bid to give Illinois families a true champion in Congress who will stand up for their values. She already leads the field in fundraising and enters the race with strong name recognition and grassroots support from her work supporting Democrats up and down the ballot in the previous cycle. 

“I'm honored to receive support from EMILY's List, MoveOn, NARAL, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and the PCCC,” said Marie Newman, candidate for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District.“Illinois working families need a real Democrat with real plans to make everybody's everyday lives better. I'll never stop fighting to create an economy and society that works for everyone.”

Rep. Lipinski, the current representative for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District, has made a name for himself siding with anti-choice activists and supporting a bigoted agenda instead of standing up for the real values of his constituents in a solidly progressive district. He has consistently attacked reproductive freedom and a woman’s right to make her own decisions about if, when, and how to start a family. He has refused to sign onto the Equality Act to guarantee equal protection to LGBTQ Americans. And he has repeatedly sided with Donald Trump and his racist and extreme agenda. He is out of touch with his voters and his party, and is not the representative the people of Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District deserve.

Statement from Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY’s List:

“We’re thrilled to endorse Marie Newman as she campaigns to serve the people of Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District. In a time when the president and GOP have made it clear that stripping away the fundamental rights of women is at the top of their agenda, we must have a leader to stand up against Trump. That is not Congressman Dan Lipinski. Illinoisans deserve a leader who will fight to protect the rights of women and families, and we know Marie Newman will tackle the issues that matter to women and families — from choice and health care to transportation and infrastructure — head on.

“On the other hand, Congressman Lipinski has time and again proven he’s out of touch with his constituents by standing in lockstep with the Republicans. Whether it's voting against women's reproductive health care access, undermining protections for the LGBTQ community, or opposing an increase in the minimum wage, Lipinski chooses his personal agenda over the needs of the community every time. The people of the 3rd District deserve better, and Marie Newman has proved she’s the woman for the job. We stand with her as she fights for the people of Illinois."

Statement from Rahna Epting, Chief of Program at MoveOn:

“Dan Lipinski is extremely out of step with the values and principles of his constituents and the Democratic party. He voted against the Affordable Care Act, has consistently opposed a woman’s right to choose, has opposed LGBTQ equality, and has sided with Donald Trump in support of his horrific anti-immigrant agenda. That’s why MoveOn members overwhelmingly support Marie Newman—who earned 91 percent of the votes cast amongst the 7,500 MoveOn members in Illinois’ 3rd congressional district. We are proud to support and endorse Newman, who will be a progressive voice to represent the values of Illinois’ 3rd district voters in Congress.”

Statement from Ilyse Hogue, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America:

“Illinois women and families deserve someone who shares their values, not someone who pursues his own ideology that is out of step with his constituents. Marie Newman is ready to stand up for the women and families of Illinois' 3rd Congressional District and fight for their values. Dan Lipinski is dangerously out of touch, and has time and time again refused to stand up for basic values like reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, and economic opportunity for every family. At a time where all of these are on the line, Marie is a champion for the rights and principles that matter to a vast majority of Americans and she will fight for reproductive freedom and equality for all. Marie was a formidable candidate last time around and NARAL is proud to endorse a proven fighter for progressive values who can finally give Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District a representative who stands with them, not anti-choice bigots and out of touch conservatives.”

Statement from Dr. Leana Wen, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

"Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to endorse our first candidate of the 2020 election cycle: Marie Newman for the U.S. House of Representatives. Newman is committed to fighting for Planned Parenthood patients and trusting women to make their own health care decisions, with their families and their doctors, free from political interference. 

"In sharp contrast, Congressman Dan Lipinski is desperately out of touch. Lipinski has voted time and again to block patients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood health centers, roll back health care access for thousands of his own constituents, allow discrimination of LGBTQ people, and to ban safe, legal abortion. America needs our leaders to protect the health and rights of all people. The people of Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District deserve a champion who will go to Congress fighting for women’s rights and the rights of all people to access health care."

Statement from Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee:

“Marie Newman is taking on an outdated, out-of-touch, establishment politician -- Dan Lipinski is a pro-life, pro-corporate Democrat who voted against Obamacare in a bright blue district where we can do better. Marie Newman will be a more progressive voice that more powerfully represents this district. We proudly stood behind Marie Newman as the DCCC bullied her consultants off her campaign, raising her over $22,000 from over 2,000 small-dollar, grassroots donations within days of the blacklist policy being announced. And we’re proud to endorse her -- the people of Illinois deserve a real leader who will side with them.”  

Statement from Charles Chamberlain, Chair of Democracy for America:

“Marie Newman brings the fresh, progressive energy needed to replace one of the most retrograde corporate Democrats still standing in Congress. Dan Lipinski's built a career in Washington screwing over working families and providing cover to right-wing bigots by opposing everything from a $15 minimum wage and the Equality Act to women’s fundamental abortion rights.

“Democracy for America members proudly had Marie Newman’s back in 2018 and we’re excited to be supporting her once again. The people of Illinois’ 3rd deserve an unrelenting champion for a bold, inclusive populist agenda in Washington and that’s exactly what they’ll get when they send Dan Lipinski packing and replace him with Marie Newman.”  

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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.