Press Release Michigan
Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Celebrates Sen. Gary Peters’ Victory in Michigan
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Contact: [email protected]
This win for Michiganders and reproductive freedom comes following Sen. Peters becoming the first sitting senator to share his family’s abortion story publicly
Michigan — Yesterday, voters in Michigan reelected NARAL-endorsed Senator Gary Peters to the U.S. Senate. Sen. Peters’ victory over anti-choice, anti-freedom Republican John James marks a huge win for reproductive freedom and maintains a critical seat in the U.S. Senate.
In response to Peters’ victory, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue released the following statement:
“During his race for reelection, Senator Peters made clear that reproductive freedom is both personal and non-negotiable—and voters responded, helping bring home victory in a tight race. NARAL is proud to have backed Sen. Peters in this race, and congratulates him on this critical win. We know that Sen. Peters will continue to be a fierce fighter for reproductive freedom at a time when our fundamental rights are under unprecedented assault.”
NARAL endorsed Sen. Peters as part of its largest-ever electoral program designed to hold senators accountable for rubber-stamping Donald Trump’s extreme ideological agenda. NARAL reached over 3 million voters in key states, including Michigan, through its historic 2020 electoral program.
NARAL Pro-Choice America worked to combat state bills that restrict reproductive freedom and elect reproductive freedom champions to the Michigan State Legislature. NARAL held fireside chats, meet-and-greet events, phone banks, and postcard-writing parties for these candidates as well as Michigan candidates for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
Through its “Battleground Midwest: Voter Activation Alerts” program, NARAL reached 8,000 Michiganders, shining a light on Republican candidate John James’ extreme anti-choice positions. NARAL’s Michigan electoral program included NARAL staff and volunteers making 54,000 calls to voters, and reaching nearly 3,500 voters as part of NARAL’s direct mail program. NARAL also held 27 events, activating over 270 volunteers who not only made thousands of calls, but also sent 105,000 text messages, and 7,500 postcards.
NARAL Freedom Fund invested $185,000 in Michigan, running a major ad campaign to boost Sen. Peters in his reelection campaign in the final weeks of the election.
NARAL PCA Foundation partnered with Detroit Action and Rising Voices of Asian American Families to release an ad centered around election oversight. These digital ads garnered over 2.1 million impressions.
Recent polling found that a strong majority (74%) of Michigan voters believe that abortion should be legal, and that the government should not prevent a woman from making that decision for herself. NARAL activated its more than 85,000 members statewide to reach, persuade, and mobilize Michiganders who were motivated by Sen. Peters championing reproductive freedom.
Sen. Peters is a lifelong champion for reproductive freedom who has always been a strong ally, protecting abortion access in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Peters was first elected to the Senate in 2014 after serving in the House for three terms where he earned a perfect 100% score from NARAL on its Congressional Record on Choice, a record he has maintained throughout his time as a senator. He voted against allowing businesses to deny healthcare coverage for contraception and opposed anti-choice Trump judicial nominees.
Last month, Sen. Peters shared with Elle his heart-wrenching abortion story, becoming the first sitting senator to share a personal abortion story publicly. This came shortly after he shared the story for the first time with NARAL advocates and volunteers. Bravely sharing his story fueled Sen. Peters’ reelection; his campaign had its best fundraising day of the cycle following the release of the Elle article. NARAL Pro-Choice America Freedom Fund boosted this article to key voter groups in Michigan.
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.