Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema for U.S. Senate 

Phoenix, AZ – Today, Planned Parenthood Action Fund endorsed Kyrsten Sinema for the U.S. Senate. Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema is a champion for women’s rights and access to reproductive health care. Her record is clear: She has opposed every attack on Planned Parenthood patients and has stood up for access to the full range of reproductive health care. Arizona voters overwhelmingly support Planned Parenthood, and Kyrsten Sinema will fight to protect the critical health care provided by Planned Parenthood health centers no matter what.  

For too long, too many politicians in Arizona have stood in the way of women making their own decisions about whether and when to have children. Rep. Sinema trusts women and knows that health care decisions should be between a woman and her health care provider – not politicians in Washington. In contrast, the out-of-touch politicians running against Sinema would be a disaster for women – some of whom have voted to block Planned Parenthood patients from care, want to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or stand against access to safe and legal abortion.

Former State Sen. Kelli Ward, for example, has fought to block patients from Planned Parenthood health centers. As sheriff of Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio was sued by the ACLU for a policy forbidding female inmates from accessing abortion; he was also found guilty of racially profiling Latinos in Arizona and violating a court order that asked him to stop. Rep. Martha McSally is vehemently anti-women’s health, as she has voted to block her own constituents from care at Planned Parenthood health centers and to pass dangerous abortion bans. McSally also opposes the ACA contraception benefit, which has given more than 62 million women access to no-cost birth control. This is in stark contrast to what Arizona voters want.

Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

Kyrsten Sinema is the leader Arizona needs, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to stand with her and endorse her candidacy for U.S. Senate. She has tirelessly fought for Planned Parenthood patients’ access to the full range of reproductive health care during her tenure in the House, and she will continue to champion women in the Senate. Kyrsten Sinema has stood strong against attacks on health care and voted each time to bring down Trumpcare, the worst bill for women in a generation, which would have ripped away health insurance from millions of Americans.

Arizonans overwhelmingly support Planned Parenthood and will elect champions who will fight to protect the more than 34,000 patients who rely on Planned Parenthood health centers for care across the state. Kyrsten Sinema is the leader they can count on to stand with them.

Statement from Jodi Liggett, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona:

The Copper State deserves better than the other politicians running for Senate, who want to rip away access to health care every chance they get. With Kyrsten Sinema, Arizonans will have a senator who will be an unwavering advocate for reproductive health care. This is also a historic opportunity to elect someone who will break down barriers, as she would become the second openly LGBTQ person ever to serve in the Senate.

Statement from Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona Congresswoman and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate:

I am proud to stand with Planned Parenthood patients and women and families across Arizona. Arizonans are tired of the dysfunction in Washington, where too many politicians are focused on making it harder for women to access basic health care. A woman should be able to make personal health decisions with her family and her doctor without a politician in Washington telling her what to do. Arizonans want leaders who will stand up for our rights and defend our access to health care. Working together, I won’t stop fighting to defend Arizonans’ access to quality, affordable health care.

Arizonans overwhelmingly support Planned Parenthood and are less likely to vote for politicians that support “defunding” Planned Parenthood. Kyrsten Sinema has opposed all efforts to block patients from Planned Parenthood health centers, voted against harmful bans that would limit access to safe and legal abortion, led House efforts to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and supported legislation to expand access to reproductive health care. Kyrsten Sinema represents what Arizonans want.

The Trump-Pence administration and politicians in Congress have been launching attack after attack on reproductive rights and access to health care. This is despite the fact that seven in 10 Americans support abortion access, and a new poll from Public Religion Research Institute this week showing that nearly two-thirds of Republican voters and three-fourths of Democrat voters think elected officials are spending too much time talking about abortion rather than focusing on other issues.

Kyrsten Sinema is the champion Arizona needs in the U.S Senate to fight against these attacks and protect access to reproductive health care no matter what.

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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 and electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.