Press Release Michigan
Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Celebrates Rep. Haley Stevens’ Historic Victory in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District
For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 5, 2020
Contact: [email protected]
Defeat of anti-choice, anti-freedom Republican opponent Eric Esshaki is a win for Michiganders and reproductive freedom
Michigan — On Tuesday, voters in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District reelected NARAL-endorsed incumbent Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) to the U.S. House of Representatives. Stevens is the first woman elected to represent Michigan’s 11th District. Her victory marks a huge win for reproductive freedom and maintains a critical seat in the U.S. House.
In response to Stevens’ victory, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue released the following statement:
“During Rep. Haley Stevens’ time in the House, she has fought for reproductive freedom time and again, earning a 100% on NARAL’s Congressional Record on Choice. We are thankful to have her with us in the fight for our fundamental rights and look forward to continuing our work together to protect and expand reproductive freedom.”
NARAL endorsed Steven as part of its largest-ever electoral program. The historic program 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 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.
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/tens of thousands of calls, but also sent 105,000 text messages, and 7,500 postcards.
NARAL Pro-Choice America 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 also 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.
Key to NARAL’s 2020 strategy was activating its more than 85,000 members statewide to reach, persuade, and mobilize Michiganders who were motivated by Trump and Republicans’ unyielding attacks on reproductive freedom.
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.
Haley Stevens previously served as the chief of staff on the Auto Task Force inside the U.S. Treasury Department under the Obama Administration, where her team was responsible for returning the auto industry to financial stability and saving over 200,000 Michigan jobs.
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.