Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Ted Strickland for U.S. Senate

Washington, DC -- Planned Parenthood Action Fund today endorsed former Governor Ted Strickland, a champion for women’s health, to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate. Strickland has a proven record of standing up for patients who access care at Planned Parenthood’s health centers in Ohio and a woman’s ability to access safe, legal abortion in Ohio. He also served as the state’s first pro-choice governor to in more than 16 years when elected in 2006.

Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

"Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to endorse Ted Strickland, a proven leader for women’s health, to represent Ohio in the United States Senate. Governor Strickland has time and again stood up for the more than 75,000 Ohio patients served by Planned Parenthood health centers, voted to protect access to lifesaving breast exams, HIV tests, birth control, STD tests and access to safe, legal abortion. In contrast, Senator Rob Portman has voted to severely restrict access to these critical services at Planned Parenthood health centers and shamefully dismissed reproductive care as illegitimate."

"Ohio women, men, young people, and families need a champion like Governor Strickland who will not just stand up against the dangerous attacks on reproductive health care in Ohio, in Congress, and across the country, but will fight to expand access to care and improve the health of Americans. Ohio women simply cannot afford any more of Senator Portman's dangerous, anti-woman policies."

While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Ohio’s sixth district, as well as serving as Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland boasted a strong record on women’s health, access to reproductive health care, and preserving access to Planned Parenthood’s health centers.

Ted Strickland:

Was Ohio's first pro-choice governor in more than 16 years;
Eliminated ineffective abstinence only sex-ed;
Protected access to safe, legal abortion in Ohio;
Pushed to expand Medicaid Family Planning State Option in the health reform;
Created the Governor’s Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach to improve the status of women and girls through education, health and personal safety.

Rob Portman’s shameful record on women’s health:

Meanwhile, Strickland’s opponent, incumbent Republican Senator Rob Portman, has a 0% rating on Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s scorecard; voted to block patients from care at Planned Parenthood’s health centers five times (implying the more than 75,000 Ohio patients who access care at Planned Parenthood’s health centers could instead find other places providing “legitimate” health care); opposes equal pay legislation; would overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA,) which gave over 55 million women access to no-copay birth control;stated he is opposed to access to safe, legal abortion except in the most extreme cases; is proud of his anti-abortion record; and favored extreme restrictions on abortion, including allowing states to refuse low-income women abortion coverage even in the cases of rape or incest, and tying doctors’ hands —even in the face of complex circumstances — to ban abortion at 20 weeks.

Portman also believes bosses should be able to make health care decisions for women, and voted for the harmful Blunt amendment.