Planned Parenthood Action Fund Proudly Congratulates Sen. Gary Peters on His Reelection

During the campaign, Peters became the first sitting U.S. senator to share a personal abortion story

Washington, DC – Planned Parenthood Action Fund is excited to congratulate Sen. Gary Peters on his reelection to the U.S. Senate. Peters told voters that he would continue to be a champion for health care access, and worked with the Action Fund to make history as the first sitting senator to share a personal family experience with abortion ahead of an event with more than 100 of our most active volunteer members. His story sparked an increase in grassroots enthusiasm: within five days of sharing his family’s story, he also gained 50,000 new donors and raised over $5 million, marking his best fundraising week of the election cycle.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

“Planned Parenthood Action Fund and our supporters are excited to celebrate the reelection of Sen. Gary Peters, a champion for reproductive rights and health care access and the first sitting senator to share a personal family experience with abortion. During his first term in the Senate, Peters demonstrated that he is an outspoken champion for the issues that matter most to Michiganders: making health care more accessible and affordable, taking on the COVID-19 pandemic with science and compassion, and creating economic opportunities for working families. Peters’s opponent, John James, was out of touch and extreme, supporting the repeal of Roe v. Wade. Michiganders sent a resounding message with this defeat. We know Sen. Peters is just getting started and will continue fighting for the bold reforms our country needs and demands. We are thrilled to continue working with Peters to protect and expand sexual and reproductive health care access for all people. By electing representatives who will prioritize their health and reproductive rights, voters proved that supporting reproductive rights is not only the right thing to do, it is also politically advantageous.” 

Michigan Planned Parenthood Votes ran a $3 million program, making more than 35 million connections with Michigan voters to support Planned Parenthood Action Fund-endorsed federal candidates like Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Gary Peters, as well as  Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan-endorsed candidates in the State House. The program kicked off with a virtual launch event with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who welcomed supporters and underscored what’s at stake for reproductive rights in Michigan this cycle. By Election Day, Michigan Planned Parenthood Votes generated 34 million connections with Michiganders through more than 30 digital adsto support champions for sexual and reproductive health and rights up and down the ballot. In addition, the team at Michigan Planned Parenthood Votes sent more than 1.1 million mail pieces and made more than 1.1 million phone calls to voters across the state.

Sen. Peters has pushed bold proposals to address the COVID-19 pandemic this year, including boosting pay for essential workers, providing relief to small businesses, and increasing access to free testing. In addition, Peters has been a staunch supporter of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during his time in the Senate and opposed Mitch McConnell’s attempt to strip more than 1.5 million Michiganders of health care access during efforts to repeal the landmark legislation. Peters has supported reforming the ACA to ensure that it works for every person, like creating the Medicare public option. Peters also advocated for the Violence Against Women Act to address the growing crisis of intimate partner violence. 

Last year, Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations announced a historic investment of at least $45 million in key battleground states during the 2020 cycle, with an emphasis on reaching women, young voters, and voters of color. In January, Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations launched “We Decide 2020,” a combined people-powered electoral program to elect champions for reproductive rights up and down the ballot in 2020. Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations across the country worked to mobilize 16 million Planned Parenthood supporters to help people get involved and build on their power for this election.“We Decide 2020” was Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations’ largest electoral program ever. 

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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.