Mitch Perry
NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC today announced Tuesday it was endorsing Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Florida’s 23rd Congressional District.
“We are proud to stand with Rep. Wasserman Schultz in her re-election campaign,” said Sasha Bruce, senior vice president for campaigns and strategy at NARAL Pro-Choice America. “Together, Debbie and NARAL Pro-Choice America led the fight to create and secure the most progressive reproductive freedom party platform in the history of the country. Debbie understands that harmful, anti-choice policies like the Hyde and Helms amendments only end up further discriminating against low-income women. She knows that public policy should support women and families at every stage of our reproductive lives and that is why we are proud to stand with her.”
Every little bit helps in Wasserman Schultz’ bid to retain her Broward/Miami-Dade seat. She is being challenged by law professor Tim Canova in the Democratic primary Aug.30.
“I am honored to receive the endorsement and support of NARAL-Pro Choice America, a leader in protecting and expanding reproductive freedom,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. “Throughout my career, it’s been a top priority of mine that women have access to comprehensive reproductive health care services. I have fervently supported efforts to make birth control available to all, provide sex education to teens, and support healthy pregnancies. Despite the Supreme Court time and again affirming a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her body and her health, in consultation with her health care provider — not her Member of Congress — our right is constantly under attack by the Republican majority. I am proud to be a steadfast ally of NARAL in working to overcome these assaults on our right to choose, and will always work to defend and strengthen this right in Congress.”
Although abortion rights groups have always supported Wassermann Schultz, some of those groups expressed disappointment with her back in January, when she called out young women for being complacent about their reproductive choice in a New York Times magazine interview.
“I love Debbie Wasserman Schultz, but I do disagree with her on this,” said Eleanor Smeal, founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, when the article was published. “The young people not only turn out, they turn out bigger, and they vote consistently overwhelmingly for reproductive choice,” Smeal said.
