NARAL Members Were Early Supporters of Deidre DeJear For Iowa Secretary of State, Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)
For Immediate Release: June 6, 2018
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In a victory for Iowa women and families, NARAL Pro-Choice America congratulated endorsed candidates Deidre DeJear and Abby Finkenauer for winning their primaries last night.
“Reproductive rights are under attack as never before both in Iowa and at the federal level. Eyes are on the state following the passage of the most restrictive anti-choice law in the country—a law that runs contrary to the values of Iowa families,” said NARAL Pro-Choice America Political Director Nicole Brener-Schmitz. “We’re proud to stand with Abby Finkenauer and Deidre DeJear tonight, two women who truly respect and protect the rights of Iowa women and families, and we look forward to seeing them win big in November.”
Abby Finkenauer has been a champion for women in the Iowa State House, voting to protect a woman’s right to choose but also proactively fighting against out-of-touch efforts to restrict access to healthcare pushed by her Republican counterparts. She fought tirelessly against a ban that would prohibit a woman from getting an abortion after 20-weeks of pregnancy and combatted efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Finkenauer’s lifelong background in public service and staunch commitment to standing up for hardworking women and families makes her the best person to fight for all Iowans in the U.S. Congress.
Deidre DeJear has dedicated her career to bettering her community, focusing on the issue of voter engagement. She developed and implemented a program to educate, motivate, and mobilize low-propensity voters, which resulted in over 5,000 new registrants and more than doubled African American turnout in Iowa in 2012. In 2005, she co-founded Back 2 School Iowa, a non-profit dedicated to collaborating with communities and corporations in order to provide resources to inspire youth in continuing their education and build their careers. In 2008 DeJear began her own small business, Caleo Enterprises, that provides entrepreneurs affordable marketing tools and business strategies. If elected, she will be the first black woman to hold statewide office in Iowa.