Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon Celebrates Re-election of Governor Kate Brown and Defeat of Ballot Measure 106

Oregonians made their voices heard tonight, voting to re-elect Governor Kate Brown and improve access to reproductive health care and stop attacks against women’s health and rights.

Quote from Emily McLain, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon:

“Voters just sent a clear message to politicians: When you attack women’s health, rights and freedoms, you lose. Oregonians won’t stand idly by as politicians push for dangerous and unpopular policies that strip us of our health care and basic rights. Governor Kate Brown put reproductive freedom in the center of her campaign, promising to protect access to health care for all people in Oregon. And the voters heard her loud and clear.

“Knute Buehler knew he couldn’t run a campaign based on his conservative record in the Legislature, so he abandoned it and tried to masquerade as a moderate. Voters saw through that. They know you can’t trust a politician who says one thing and does another.

“In addition, voters affirmed for the third time in 40 years that Oregon remains strongly supportive of equal access to safe, legal abortion, regardless of how much money you have or how you’re insured. Ballot Measure 106 would have taken away healthcare coverage from more than 350,000 Oregonians.

“This monumental victory was the result of a forward-thinking, inclusive coalition that uplifted the communities most impacted by Measure 106, including leaders of color and women who have experienced abortion, many of the same organizations that worked to defeat Measure 105. Together, we sent a loud and clear message to Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh and every politician who attacks our health, our rights and our freedom: Not in our state. Not now. Not ever.

“We’re also thrilled that voters rejected Ballot Measure 105, which would have allowed police to target people based solely on the color of their skin, their accent or their perceived immigration status. Diversity is one of our state’s greatest strengths, and we believe in welcoming others and building bridges of understanding with those who may seem different.”

Nationally, Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations made their largest investment ever in a midterm cycle — $20 million in the March.Vote.Win program. In addition, Planned Parenthood Votes partnered with Color of Change PAC, Center for Community Change Action and SEIU in a joint effort called Win Justice. Through March.Vote.Win., the partnership with the Win Justice coalition, and local Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organizations, the 2018 electoral program reached 4.5 million voters and made nearly 3 million door knocks.

Here in Oregon, Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon is proud to have worked in coalition with phenomenal partners including Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, Oregon Nurses Association, Service Employees International Union and so many others. Together, we knocked on 400,000 doors, sent 855,000 texts and made 65,000 calls.

The Trump-Pence administration and Congress have undermined reproductive health and rights since day one. They attempted to take away healthcare coverage from 20 million people, tried time and time again to block patients from coming to Planned Parenthood health centers for care, attacked immigrant communities’ access to health care, ended protections for survivors of sexual assault on campus, and allowed providers to deny health care to LGBTQ people. And most recently, they confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

In response to these attacks, people fought back — marching in the streets, mobilizing their communities and voting at the polls. Women’s rights are the No. 1 issue driving people to take political action.