Where to Give Now: Abortion Access Edition
People said we were hysterical, that they would never overreach. The Court wasn’t on the line in 2016. But we knew. We knew the Right had a forty-year plan to overturn Roe and the three Justices appointed by President Trump would make their plan a reality.
We knew -- and we planned. There’s not a lot we can do to prevent this decision and the huge state implications. But as a proud Board member of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Action Fund and Planned Parenthood Federation Action Fund, the abortion rights movement has a plan and we’re executing it, albeit a few weeks earlier than we thought.
Below please find information on key state races as well as key organizations and how to get involved in the fight to save abortion access. With everything on the line, this is not a moment to care about tax deductions. Give hard money to candidates and c4 dollars to organizations.
You can refer to this handy map to review existing restrictions and where abortion is likely to be outlawed if/when Roe is overturned. Bans Off Our Bodies has comprehensive information as well.
Crooked Media (aka the Pod Save America folks) has a great website where you can learn where to give and how to volunteer: https://votesaveamerica.com/roe/
And finally: Save the Date! On May 14, we rally. Think Women’s March-style protests around the country. Find a rally near you.
2022 Elections
Key Races: Federal
I wish we had better news on the federal level. But there is no path to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act in this Congress. Sens. Manchin and Sinema are still against eliminating the filibuster; if they didn’t do it for democracy, they’re not going to do it for abortion. And Sen. Casey is wishy-washy on choice and against this bill. Which means we need to protect and expand our majority in the Senate -- and it is doable, even in 2022. You can review previous memos for more information on each race.
Protect (most vulnerable, in my opinion):
Catherine Cortez Masto (NV)
Raphael Warnock (NC)
Mark Kelly (AZ)
Maggie Hassan (NH)
Pick-up (most flippable, in my opinion):
Eventual nominee in PA; primary 5/17
Eventual nominee in WI; primary 8/9
Cheri Beasley (NC)
Val Demings (FL)
Tim Ryan (OH)
Evan McMullin (UT, independent -- yes, he is pro-choice)
Eventual nominee in MO; primary 8/2
Give to all or some: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2022senate
It is also critical that we mitigate losses in the US House. Redistricting is still underway in several states due to lawsuits but we know there will be a narrow map. Losing the majority is not a foregone conclusion and every seat matters. A five-seat Republican majority vs. a 25-seat majority will have a significant impact in our ability to retake the House in 2024. It will also impact their ability to govern and potentially pass a nationwide abortion ban.
We will send a complete list once redistricting has concluded. But for now, you can support critical incumbents and challengers in key races.
Give to any or all: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/housedems2022
Key Races: Governors
There is a huge overlap between the map for reproductive rights and the map for democracy. Protecting and flipping Governors, Attorneys General, and key state legislative races are the battlegrounds for abortion access.
Protect:
Laura Kelly (KS). Kelly is the most endangered incumbent in the country. Kansas has an anti-abortion constitutional amendment on the ballot for the August primary. Even if it passes, keeping a pro-choice Governor is crucial for related care.
Gretchen Whitmer (MI). There is a pre-Roe abortion ban still on the books in Michigan. Gov. Whitmer has sued to prevent the ban from going into effect if Roe is overturned. Both chambers of the legislature are currently controlled by Republicans. While redistricting gave Democrats a much better shot at picking up one or both chambers, it may take more than one cycle. Maintaining the Governor’s veto over abortion-related bans will be the deciding factor for access in Michigan.
Josh Shapiro (PA). Incumbent Democrat Tom Wolf is term-limited and the legislature is likely to stay in Republican hands. Maintaining the Governor’s veto over abortion-related bans will be the deciding factor for access in Pennsylvania.
Tony Evers (WI). The legislature is likely to stay in Republican hands and they are only two seats away from a supermajority in the state house. Maintaining the Governor’s veto over abortion-related bans will be the deciding factor for access in Wisconsin.
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM): While nominally blue, Lujan Grisham is a target for Republicans. With only a one-seat pro-choice majority in the legislature, a loss here would likely severely limit access in one of the only Western states with abortion -- and on the border of Texas.
Pick-up:
Stacey Abrams (GA). Gov. Kemp has vowed to sign an outright ban on abortion. Flipping this seat will allow Abrams to veto any bans and ensure access in the only state in the South.
Eventual nominee in AZ; primary 8/22. Arizona passed a 15-week ban just weeks ago. Flipping the Governor’s seat and one chamber in the legislature can help expand access.
Give to all or some: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2022governors
The Democratic Governors Association is an easy way to give to multiple races. They have a proven track record of winning tough races in challenging political environments (like Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana) and they work very closely with campaigns to create state-specific plans that meet the needs of each unique race.
Key Races: Other State Races
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has a States to Save Roe fund. This is an easy way to give to the most important state legislative races in states that are crucial for access.
The Justice Project has a slate for critical state supreme court races and joint funds with those state parties.
Attorneys General will be the last line of defense in many states as they can refuse to prosecute and/or sue for access or restrictions. The key races largely overlap with the Governors’ map. The Democratic Attorneys General Association is an easy way to give to multiple races or you can learn more below.
Protect:
Dana Nessel (MI)
Josh Kaul (WI)
Aaron Ford (NV)
Tom Miller (IA)
Pick-up:
Jen Jordan (GA)
Kris Mayes (AZ)
Give to all or some: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/demag2022
Key Organizations
Everyone has a favorite organization in the movement and, in this moment, more is more. But here are a few of my favorites.
501c4 & 527:
Planned Parenthood Action Fund -- PPAF supports advocacy work nationally and locally, along with working to re-elect reproductive rights champions and defeat anti-choice candidates. You can give to the national umbrella organization, which also regrants to states. Or, better yet, adopt an affiliate and give directly.
NARAL Pro-Choice America -- NARAL also does critical work federally and in the states, including groundbreaking research on messaging and tracking anti-choice organizing.
501c3:
Keep Our Clinics -- supports the network of independent abortion providers
National Network of Abortion Funds -- help support women in need of abortion services by paying for abortions and associated costs
Center for Reproductive Rights -- the legal arm of the movement
Indigenous Women Rising -- an abortion fund and health care organization specifically for indigenous women
Rewire News -- only media outlet dedicated to reproductive rights
I also strongly encourage donations to groups who communicate with and organize women voters, separately from and in addition to reproductive rights-focused organizations. Women voters (particularly white women, suburban women, and older women swing voters) will be receiving conflicting messages from all sides -- critical race theory and book bans and crime and abortion and inflation and socialism -- and we need to be funding groups who can address all of these issues holistically. And we cannot ignore women of color who will be most vulnerable in this moment.
Learn more about my favorites: