Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Reproductive Freedom Champions for Attorney General in Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
Washington, DC — NARAL Pro-Choice America today endorsed Attorneys General Josh Kaul (D-WI), Dana Nessel (D-MI), and Phil Weiser (D-CO) for reelection.
This slate of endorsements comes at a pivotal moment in the fight for reproductive freedom. Later this year, the Supreme Court will rule in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case regarding Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban that directly challenges Roe v. Wade and could end the constitutional right to abortion. Now more than ever, we need champions in attorneys’ general offices, as they will play a critical role in protecting reproductive freedom, especially if Roe is overturned.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju said:
“Attorneys General Josh Kaul, Dana Nessel, and Phil Weiser are champions for reproductive freedom, with strong and consistent track records fighting against unconstitutional restrictions on abortion access, not only in their respective states but for all Americans. With the Supreme Court’s anti-choice supermajority poised to potentially put an end to Roe v. Wade this year, attorneys general are critical to safeguarding and advancing reproductive freedom. In this critical moment, we must elect champions who will protect and expand abortion access for those who need care, regardless of what state they live in.”
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said:
“I’ve been proud to stand up for reproductive health and freedom as Wisconsin Attorney General. As we await a decision from the Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade, it’s critical that we organize to send a clear message at the ballot box that abortion access must be protected. Thank you to NARAL for this endorsement.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said:
“The fight for full and equal access to reproductive health care has never been more important than it is today. If Roe v. Wade falls, Michigan has a draconian 1931 law that will immediately take effect and allow women and their doctors to be imprisoned for their reproductive choices. As Michigan’s Attorney General, I will never use my office to persecute women and their doctors, and I will never stop fighting to protect access to abortion and the full range of reproductive health care, especially during this critical time. Thank you to NARAL for their endorsement, I look forward to working with your organization in the fight ahead.”
Colorado Attorney Phil Weiser said:
“I am thrilled to receive the endorsement from NARAL for the second time. During my time as Attorney General, I’ve worked tirelessly to defend the constitutionally protected rights of Coloradans to make their own decisions about their reproductive health care, and I look forward to continuing this work in my next term. While other states have worked to limit access for years, Colorado has consistently defended abortion rights and will continue to provide access to reproductive health care for those who travel here. I have consistently fought for the right for women to make their own medical decisions. I will continue to do so. That includes ensuring abortion access remains safe and legal for all who need it. Thank you to NARAL for this endorsement and for all you do to fight for access to reproductive health care.”
Attorneys General Josh Kaul, Dana Nessel, and Phil Weiser have repeatedly taken bold action to protect and expand abortion access. Last year, they joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief opposing Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In addition, Attorneys General Kaul, Nessel, and Weiser signed onto amicus briefs in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s new Title X rules to restore the nation’s only federal funding program dedicated solely to providing family planning services and in opposition to Texas’ vigilante-enforced abortion ban (SB 8). These endorsements build on NARAL’s previous endorsements of Attorneys General Rob Bonta (D-CA) and Aaron Ford (D-NV).
With a direct challenge to Roe before the U.S. Supreme Court and its anti-choice supermajority, it has never been more important to elect statewide leaders who will fight for reproductive freedom. If Roe fell tomorrow, 26 states are expected to take action to prohibit abortion outright. Of those, twelve states already have “trigger bans” in place, which would ban abortion automatically if Roe is overturned. Under these increased restrictions, Colorado is predicted to see a 504% increase in women driving from other states to Colorado seeking abortion care, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, 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 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.