Former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards is hitting the campaign trail to rally support for Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Second Congressional District candidate Angie Craig.
Richards joined Smith at an “early vote rally” Friday at the University of Minnesota to encourage students to get out and vote.
“There is too much at stake in this election to sit on the sidelines. Raise your voice by casting your vote,” an event description stated as early voting kicked off Friday, asking students to “rally together around the importance of voting with Cecile Richards.”
“If you elect these outstanding women, we’re going to change the country,” Richards told a crowd of students gathered on campus. “If the majority of the U.S. Senate could get pregnant, we could stop fighting about access to reproductive health care, birth control, and safe, legal abortion.”
If the majority of the US senate could get pregnant we could
Stop fighting about access to reproductive health care, birth control, and safe, legal abortion. – @CecileRichards pic.twitter.com/zcZyuUNeOD— Planned Parenthood Minnesota Advocate (@ppmn) September 21, 2018
Richards was also joined by gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz’ running mate, Peggy Flanagan, who called Richards “a pioneer of women’s rights.”
“We are here with Planned Parenthood Action Fund today. The rights of Minnesotans and folks across the country is on the line and we have to make sure we are protecting that right,” Flanagan said during the rally.
“These exceptional women get things done and I’m honored to be in the same room as them,” Smith tweeted before the event, thanking her colleagues for “being champions for other women.”
These exceptional women get things done and I’m honored to be in the same room as them. Thank you to Sarah Stoesz, Kim Nelson, @CatherineForNV, and @CecileRichards for being champions for other women. Proud to call you friends. pic.twitter.com/LT3JabuZti
— Tina Smith (@TinaSmithMN) September 21, 2018
Richards later joined Smith for an event at her St. Paul office to discuss “what’s at stake for women’s health this election cycle.” Richards offered her endorsement of Democratic congressional candidate Angie Craig, who introduced herself as “the woman who is going to make Jason Lewis a one-term congressman,” as well as Ruth Richardson, a candidate for the Minnesota House.
During Friday’s event, Richards and the Minnesota candidates for office discussed the dangers of appointing Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, with the former Planned Parenthood president saying his confirmation would “eviscerate” abortion access across the country.
I’m with @CecileRichards, @AngieCraigMN, @RuthForHouse, & @CearahHamilton to talk about women’s health care: https://t.co/PMm1PJyLnV
— Tina Smith (@TinaSmithMN) September 21, 2018
Before entering politics, Smith spent years working as a lobbyist for the abortion industry, and is currently the only sitting U.S. senator to have worked for Planned Parenthood. During her time with the organization, she lobbied against legislation that would provide resources to women seeking to give their children up for adoption, and other bills that required women to be informed of the “medical risks” before seeking an abortion.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
