For Immediate Release: August 20, 2008

Planned Parenthood Advocates Unveils Endorsements
Barack Obama, other key legislators receive stamp of approval

Madison, WI- With 75 days to go before the November election and with over 200,000 supporters behind them, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin (PPAWI), the advocacy arm of the state's largest and most trusted reproductive health care provider, has unveiled their endorsements for those candidates who stand up for women’s health.

Among those endorsed by PPAWI are ten State Senate candidates and forty-four State Assembly candidates. Also included in the endorsements are Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison), Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), and Steve Kagen (D-Green Bay) for Congress. A complete list of endorsements is available at www.ppawi.org/elections.

In the Presidential race, both PPAWI along with the national Planned Parenthood Action Fund have endorsed Senator Barack Obama, whose pro-women positions on health care stand in stark contrast with John McCain abysmal opposition to emergency contraception and responsible sex education, as highlighted in PPAWI’s Know McCain Campaign. McCain opposes safe, legal abortion in addition to access to birth control and responsible sex education.

“Access to reproductive health care and the ability to plan our families impacts every aspect of a woman’s life, from her ability to work outside the home, to economic self-sufficiency to attending school and obtaining an education,” notes PPAWI Political Director Chris Taylor. “The candidates that we have endorsed, starting with Barack Obama through our state legislative roster, want to go forward for women and families, not back to the days when the government dictated whether families could use birth control.”

Tellingly, John McCain wants to go back to the days when rape victims weren’t even told about pregnancy prevention after an assault. Yet Wisconsin voters overwhelming supported the passage of the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims bill; the first pro-women’s health legislation passed in the state in over a decade. The legislation, signed by the Governor in March, ensures that rape victims are given information and access to emergency contraception in every Wisconsin emergency room.

“71 of the 133 state legislators who are elected to represent all of us still oppose women’s access to prevention-based health care like birth control and comprehensive sex education,” said Taylor. “With an incredible list of endorsed candidates, we have an opportunity this fall to elect a pro-women’s health majority in both the State Senate and Assembly and to move forward for the women and families of Wisconsin.”

To ensure that women’s health in Wisconsin is protected, PPAWI is engaging in an aggressive canvass, phone, mail and paid media campaign targeting 300,000 Wisconsin voters and is encouraging its vast number of supporters throughout the state to get out to vote in the primary on September 9 and in the general election on November 4 for their endorsed candidates.

To learn more about PPAWI’s election efforts, please visit www.ppawi.org/elections.

Paid for by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, a 501 c4 qualified nonprofit organization, Lisa Boyce, Treasurer.

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's agent or committee.

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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI). The mission of PPWI is to empower all individuals to manage their sexual and reproductive health through direct services, education, and advocacy.  www.ppawi.org