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Ted Cruz Banked His South Carolina Strategy on Lies about Planned Parenthood — and it Failed

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2016


Washington, DC – As the dust settles from last night’s South Carolina Republican primary, one thing becomes clear: Ted Cruz’s strategy of using lies about Planned Parenthood to attack his Republican opponents failed, even losing him the evangelical vote. Today, on “Face the Nation,” Cruz ducked questions about why he had such a poor showing in a primary he was expected to do well in.

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

“Ted Cruz assumed his extreme attacks on women’s health and rights would win him support — instead he even managed to lose the evangelical vote in South Carolina.  Voters have no appetite for Ted Cruz’s wrongheaded attacks on women’s health or rights, and they don’t buy Cruz’s continued lies about the important care Planned Parenthood provides. The more Cruz tries to play up his extreme anti-abortion credentials and attacks essential health care services that women rely on, the more he alienates the American people.”

A Look at Cruz’s Strategy of Lies in South Carolina:

Ted Cruz has banked much of his campaign on his extreme anti-abortion credentials — even touting the endorsement of anti-abortion extremist Troy Newman, who is famed for saying abortion providers should be executed.

And where did Ted Cruz’s strategy get him?

Ted Cruz came in third in the South Carolina primary, losing the evangelical vote to Donald Trump by 34% to 22%, and losing every single county in the state.

From the beginning, Ted Cruz has been alienating voters and even his fellow members of Congress with his extreme attacks on women’s health. In fact, 14 national polls have shown widespread popular support for Planned Parenthood and the care it provides — and strong opposition to attempts to block patients from accessing care at the non-profit health care provider.

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