Press Release California
Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Barbara Bollier for U.S. Senate
Kansas State Senator and Candidate for U.S. Senate Earns Endorsement from Nation’s Leading Pro-Choice Advocacy Group
For Immediate Release: February 20, 2020
Contact: [email protected]
KANSAS — NARAL Pro-Choice America today announced its endorsement of Kansas state Senator Barbara Bollier in her campaign to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate. Bollier was elected to represent Kansas’ 7th Senate District in 2016 after serving three terms in the Kansas House of Representatives. She is now seeking to fill the seat being vacated by retiring anti-choice Republican Senator Pat Roberts.
“NARAL is proud to endorse state Senator Barbara Bollier, a fierce advocate for women and families, whose election will be critical to securing a majority for reproductive freedom in the U.S. Senate,” said Ilyse Hogue, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “As a former physician and long-time public servant, Sen. Bollier exemplifies both the leadership and expertise vital to countering medical myths touted by anti-choice Republicans, who have resorted to spreading harmful disinformation in an effort to garner support for their increasingly extreme and unpopular agenda of criminalizing abortion and punishing women.”
“As a doctor, I know that when people are making personal, complex medical decisions, the last thing they want is a politician in the middle of it. Throughout my career as a physician and public servant, I’ve fought to ensure women have access to basic healthcare and the autonomy to make their own private medical decisions. I’m honored to have the support of an organization that shares this commitment,” said State Sen. Barbara Bollier. “As a U.S. Senator, I’ll work with colleagues from both parties to ensure all Americans have access to affordable healthcare options no matter where they live.”
A former physician, Bollier has repeatedly drawn on her medical background to counter extreme Republican-led attacks on reproductive freedom. In 2011, she spoke out and voted against an extreme ban on abortion that was based on disinformation, stating that she would “be embarrassed to be a state that bases its laws on untruths.” In 2019, she stood up and fought against a dangerous bill that would force doctors to give patients false information about medication abortion, arguing that “it is not appropriate for the Legislature to practice medicine or mandate how a physician practices medicine.”
While the Republican primary for this open seat is currently a contest between seven candidates — all of whom are anti-choice — Bollier is expected to face likely-Republican nominee Kris Kobach in the November general election. Kobach is a staunch anti-choice extremist who has already been endorsed by the anti-choice organization Kansans for Life. As former Kansas Secretary of State and Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, Kobach actively pushed for locking migrant children in cages and separating families at the border. Last year, Kobach lost the gubernatorial race in Kansas to Democrat Laura Kelly, a supporter of reproductive freedom.
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NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all. For more than 50 years, NARAL has worked to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. Since 1969, NARAL has made history, grown to over 2.5 million members, and met the moments that have defined this fight with action, power and freedom.In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”