Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Deidre DeJear for Governor of Iowa
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 8, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Deidre DeJear for Governor of Iowa
Washington, DC — Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America announced its endorsement of reproductive freedom leader Deidre DeJear in her bid to become the next governor of Iowa. A businesswoman, entrepreneur, and organizer, DeJear will face Republican incumbent Governor Kim Reynolds this November. Reynolds is an anti-choice extremist who recently asked an Iowa state court to reinstate a ban on abortion at six weeks, which is before many people even know they are pregnant. If elected, DeJear will be one of the first Black women to serve as governor of a U.S. state and the first Black person to represent Iowa in statewide office.
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
“Iowa needs Deidre DeJear, a leader who will boldly fight for reproductive freedom. Gov. Reynolds has made no secret of her plans to continue dismantling abortion rights and access, putting the health and well-being of Iowans on the line. In this pivotal moment, we must rally around leaders who will enact and preserve this inalienable right. NARAL is mobilizing to elect DeJear this November and protect reproductive freedom for Iowans.”
Deidre DeJear said:
“NARAL is a pioneer in protecting choice, and I’m honored to have their support. Reproductive healthcare access is vital to the health and success of Iowans and we’ll be fighting every step of the way to deliver for the people.”
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—ending the constitutional right to abortion and opening the door for extremist state lawmakers to put total bans on abortion in place. This decision is already having a devastating impact throughout the country as 14 states have begun enforcing extreme or total bans on abortion. The people hurt most by these bans and restrictions are those who already face barriers to accessing abortion care—including women; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; those working to make ends meet; the LGBTQ+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities.
These endorsements come as NARAL Pro-Choice America is ramping up its work to elect candidates up and down the ballot during a critical moment in the fight for reproductive freedom. NARAL, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and EMILY’s List announced a partnership in May to collectively spend a historic $150 million on the 2022 midterms to elect reproductive freedom champions up and down the ballot across the country. Read more about NARAL’s endorsed candidates here.
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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 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.