Planned Parenthood Votes kicks off $50M ‘Take Control’ 2022 electoral program

Planned Parenthood Votes is launching a $50 million 2022 electoral program, “Take Control,” to help elect champions for sexual and reproductive health care and rights.

Planned Parenthood Votes also launched a 2022 electoral website. Take Control/Toma el Control will serve as a hub for information about Planned Parenthood Action Fund-endorsed candidates, key races, and how to get involved with Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations this cycle.

In Florida, Planned Parenthood Votes has endorsed for re-election U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, Al Lawson, Lois Frankel, Darren Soto, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson. Planned Parenthood Votes has also endorsed state Sen. Annette Taddeo in her bid to defeat incumbent U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar.

“This is an election about power and control,” said Jenny Lawson, executive director, Planned Parenthood Votes. “The Supreme Court and anti-abortion rights politicians have stripped people of their constitutional right to abortion and the ability to make personal health care decisions.

“Should these out-of-touch politicians gain or stay in power, they will continue doing everything they can to ban all abortion, throw health care providers and pregnant people in jail, and endanger the health and lives of pregnant people across the country. This is not what the American people want. This November, voters are going to take control by electing reproductive health care champions, up and down the ballot, who trust us to make our own decisions about our bodies, our lives, and our futures.”

Nationally, Planned Parenthood advocacy has targeted nine states for investments: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Part of that investment includes the Black, Latino & People of Color Youth Organizing program. While the program will operate in the nine target states, efforts there will be a laser focus on efforts in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina.

Meanwhile, local Planned Parenthood advocacy groups will run “robust” electoral campaigns in Florida, California, Colorado, Maine and Ohio.

This is the first election in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and the fight for abortion rights is resonating with voters, polls indicate.

According to a USA Today poll, abortion rights is the second most important issue in the Midterms for voters. Abortion rights is a top 5 issue for voters in a new Gallup poll. A recently released KFF poll finds that 74% of U.S. adults report abortion access as important to their Midterm vote, and 43% say the Supreme Court decision will make them more motivated to vote, up 6 points since May.