Planned Parenthood Votes Launches Ad Campaign in Virginia Gov. Race
For Immediate Release: Oct. 2, 2013
Planned Parenthood Votes Launches Ad Campaign to Educate Virginia Voters about Cuccinelli’s Dangerous Agenda for Women’s Health
You Can Watch First Planned Parenthood Votes TV Ad Here
WASHINGTON, DC — Planned Parenthood Votes today announced that it has made a million dollar TV and radio ad buy this week as part of the group’s continued efforts to educate Virginia voters about Ken Cuccinelli’s dangerous views on women’s health and his clear record of interfering in their personal health care decisions. The more voters learn about Cuccinelli’s positions on women’s health, the more likely they are to vote against him when they head to the polls in November. The ads will air in Richmond and Norfolk media markets.
You can watch the 30-second TV ad “Own Decisions” here.
The TV ad is narrated by Planned Parenthood Votes President Cecile Richards, and highlights Ken Cuccinelli’s extreme opposition to safe and legal abortion, access to affordable birth control, and emergency contraception. It ends with “Cuccinelli doesn't trust women. So how can we trust him to be Governor?” It comes as polls show that these views are costing him significantly with women (and a broad cross-section of voters). Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC supporters and volunteers have already knocked nearly 24,000 doors and plan to knock thousands more in the days leading up to the election.
“Ken Cuccinelli holds some of the most extreme views on women’s health by any major party candidate in years. He opposes women’s access to affordable birth control, emergency contraception, and safe and legal abortion,” said Cecile Richards, president, Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher for women.”
In addition, Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced the rollout of a mail series, which will reach approximately 155,000 Virginia households in the weeks leading up to the election. You can view one of the first pieces, featuring a Virginia doctor here.
The front reads “Ken Cuccinelli doesn’t trust women and their doctors to make personal, private medical decisions. That’s unacceptable.” The back highlights that Ken Cuccinelli wants to outlaw safe and legal abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, is a leading advocate of so-called “personhood” efforts that could interfere in medical decisions about birth control, fertility treatment, and access to safe and legal abortion, and his role in bullying the Virginia Board of Health into passing restrictions on women’s health care providers that have dangerous implications on Virginia women’s health.
“In the weeks leading up to Election Day, we are reaching out to thousands of voters to make sure they know the truth about Ken Cuccinelli’s agenda for women and their families,” said Cianti Stewart-Reid, executive director of Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC. “We know that the more women know about Ken Cuccinelli’s views and record on women’s health, the more troubled they are. The women we are reaching know that affordable and accessible health care and birth control are economic issues, and believe that politicians like Ken Cuccinelli are overreaching when it comes to overturning Roe v. Wade and limiting access to safe and legal abortion.”
According to 2012 election night exit polls, 63 percent of Virginia voters believe abortion should remain legal in at least some or all cases. According to an October 2012 Gallup poll of voters in 12 swing states (including Virginia), 39 percent of women cited abortion as the most important election issue for women. Women who cited abortion preferred Obama by a 3-1 margin. A report from the Virginia Coalition to Protect Women’s Health shows that Virginia’s targeted restrictions of abortion providers are deeply unpopular with Virginians.
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Paid for by Planned Parenthood Votes, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC.
Authorized by Terry McAuliffe, candidate for Governor.