What's On Our Mind 2-3-2023

 
Women showed their power at the polls in November when it came to the issue of choice. But the GOP still thinks the path to victory is to sidestep women. We know otherwise and we have proven them wrong,
 
At their recent party national meeting, the GOP urged “Republican lawmakers in state legislatures and in Congress to pass the strongest pro-life legislation possible.” Clearly the lessons of 2022 have been lost on them, but not on women voters.
 
More than half of voters polled between ages 18 and 34 said abortion played a larger role in their voting decisions this November than it had in past elections, according to NARAL. That same poll showed that 53 percent of non-Democrats voted Democratic because of choice.
 
This issue was just as important to non-college educated white women, who have been skewing toward the GOP. Losing support from this group will impact future GOP successes.
 
The GOP only needs to look at Kansas, a state that has consistently voted red, to see that it was their own women who helped to defeat a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have said there was no right to an abortion in the state. Kansas was not an anomaly. Women helped to defeat ballot initiatives across the country.
 
While the GOP was ignoring the power of women and the choice issue, JAC helped to elect many pro-choice candidates such as Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL). Her district had been traditionally held by anti-choice Republicans for more than 50 years, but it turned blue because of the choice issue. 
 
At JAC, we know what’s at stake and we are already working hard to ensure that Nikki and other pro-choice candidates are elected. Democratic control of Congress is just around the corner. All we need is five more in ’24, to pass federal protections for women’s rights.
 
While the GOP spins out of control, deaf to the concerns of women and families, JAC will continue to do what it does best: electing candidates that will protect our rights and democracy. But we can’t do it without YOU.
 
Renew your JAC membership and if you can, give a little more. Elections have consequences.