Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Celebrates Rep. Josh Harder’s Victory in California’s 10th Congressional District
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Contact: [email protected]
Defeat of anti-choice, anti-freedom Republican candidate Ted Howze is a win for Californians and reproductive freedom
California — Yesterday, voters in California’s 10th Congressional District reelected NARAL-endorsed incumbent Rep. Josh Harder to the U.S. House of Representatives. His victory over anti-choice, anti-freedom Republican candidate Ted Howze marks a huge win for reproductive freedom and keeps a critical seat in the House.
In response to Harder’s victory, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue released the following statement:
“During his time in Congress, Rep. Josh Harder has fought for reproductive freedom time and again. NARAL is thankful to have Rep. Harder with us in the fight for our fundamental rights and look forward to continuing our work together to protect and expand reproductive freedom.”
NARAL Pro-Choice California Director Shannon Olivieri Hovis said:
“NARAL and our more than 295,000 members across California applaud Rep. Josh Harder for his victory over anti-choice extremist Republican Ted Howze. Unlike Howze, Rep. Harder is a proven advocate for reproductive freedom and can be trusted to stand strong against extreme ideological attacks on our most fundamental rights.”
NARAL reached over 3 million voters in key states, including California, through its historic 2020 electoral program. NARAL’s electoral program in California focused on protecting the House seats the organization helped to flip in 2018, which contributed to securing the nation’s first-ever Congressional majority in support of reproductive freedom.
NARAL’s investment in California included holding more than 40 voter contact events activating more than 300 volunteers who made over 10,000 calls, sent nearly 20,000 postcards, and 300,000 texts in support of NARAL-endorsed candidates up and down the ballot.
NARAL Pro-Choice California’s seven action councils located in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, the Inland Empire, Glendale, Antelope Valley, and Bay Area played a major role in NARAL’s organizing activities, including hosting phonebanks and textbanks. NARAL partnered with Courage California, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, and California League of Conservation Voters to lead the We Woke We Vote voter education series.
Key to NARAL’s strategy was reaching, persuading, and mobilizing key voter segments including low-propensity voters and soft-partisan persuadable voters who are motivated by Trump and Republicans’ commitment to ending Roe v. Wade, criminalizing abortion, and punishing women.
Despite California being a leader on reproductive freedom and healthcare innovation, 40% of counties do not have an abortion provider and nine counties do not have a single OB-GYN. These types of barriers to care disproportionately harm BIPOC, low-income, and rural communities, and are part of a coordinated effort by the Radical Right to maintain white patriarchal control at all costs.
Read more about NARAL’s endorsed candidates here.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters have fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom—including access to abortion, contraception, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its more than 2.5 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 7 in 10 Americans who believe every person should have the freedom to make the best decision for themselves about if, when, and how to raise a family.