For Immediate Release:	November 5, 2008
For More Information:	Kathryn Prael, NARAL Pro-Choice America, 202.973.3032
Sponsor Organization:	NARAL Pro-Choice America
Memorandum from Nancy Keenan, President & Elizabeth Shipp, Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice America
To: Interested Parties From: Nancy Keenan, President & Elizabeth Shipp, Political Director Re: Pro-Choice Victories in the 2008 Election Date: November 5, 2008 Yesterday, Americans reaffirmed their commitment to the values of freedom and privacy by electing pro-choice Sen. Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. In a race that featured candidates with stark differences on choice, voters rejected John McCain’s divisive attacks on a woman’s right to choose and responded to Sen. Obama’s call to move this country in a new direction. At this point election results show that Americans elected a net gain of 16 fully pro-choice members in the House, and moved five Senate seats out of the anti-choice column – with four more Senate seats still being called. Voters defeated anti-choice ballot measures in California, Colorado, and South Dakota. In South Dakota, a state won by John McCain, voters made clear their opposition to a dangerous abortion ban by defeating the measure for the second consecutive election. NARAL Pro-Choice America, the nation’s leading non-partisan pro-choice political organization, was the first major pro-choice PAC to endorse Barack Obama for president. In 2008, the organization communicated with a unique audience of pro-choice Independent and Republican women voters urging them to cross party lines to support President-elect Obama and pro-choice congressional candidates. NARAL Pro-Choice America’s comprehensive political strategy included independent expenditures in eight battleground states – Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The organization repeatedly contacted approximately 290,000 households exposing McCain’s extreme anti-choice record and persuading these critical voters to support Barack Obama. President-elect Obama won all eight battleground states where NARAL Pro-Choice America contacted pro-choice voters on his behalf. In addition, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC endorsed 95 candidates for the U.S. House and Senate and made $350,000 in direct contributions to campaigns. The organization’s volunteers made more than 12,500 GOTV calls into swing states urging voters to support Sen. Obama and targeted pro-choice congressional candidates and mobilized its one-million-strong network of member activists to engage in campaigns and vote for pro-choice candidates. Even as some races remain too close to call, here are additional pro-choice electoral highlights: Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) and Mark Udall (Colorado) defeated anti-choice incumbent senators in their high profile races. Sen. Elizabeth Dole (North Carolina) lost her seat after one term. She consistently voted anti-choice, and supported the Bush agenda on almost every issue. In Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC-endorsed candidate Gerry Connolly defeated anti-choice Keith Fimian. In Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC-endorsed candidate Mark Schauer defeated anti-choice Rep. Tim Walberg. In the state’s 9th Congressional District NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC-endorsed candidate Gary Peters defeated anti-choice Rep. Joe Knollenberg. In New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC-endorsed candidate Martin Heinrich defeated anti-choice Darren White and in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC-endorsed candidate Harry Teague defeated anti-choice Ed Tinsley. The entire New Mexico congressional delegation in now pro-choice. For more information about NARAL Pro-Choice America’s electoral activities and information on other NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC-endorsed candidates who also won their races, please visit http://www.ProChoiceAmerica.org/elections/elections2008/. /> ###