NEW: Planned Parenthood—McConnell’s Gomez Endorsement ‘Troubling’

Monday, June 03, 2013

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Does Senator Mitch McConnell's endorsement of Gabriel Gomez hurt him with women? Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund says it does.

Tricia Wajda, Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts, called Kentucky US Senator Mitch McConnell’s support for Gabriel Gomez "troubling and telling" when it comes to women’s health.

“For voters who care about women’s health, it is telling and deeply troubling to see Republican Gabriel Gomez accept the backing of Senator Mitch McConnell, who has led his party’s efforts on Capitol Hill to turn back the clock on women,” Wajda said. “Senator McConnell voted against equal pay for women and supports private companies who want to deny women health insurance coverage for birth control – and he’s counting on Gomez to be another Republican vote against women’s health. Gomez claims he would stand up to his own party when it comes to some issues, but he continues to dodge questions about women’s health and keep voters in the dark. It is clear Gomez can’t be trusted to stand up for women.”

Markey endorsement

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund has endorsed Congressman Ed Markey for U.S. Senate. As a U.S. Representative, Congressman Markey has received a 100 percent rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund for his votes against legislation that would have restricted access to safe and legal abortion, and for his votes in support of comprehensive sex education, birth control access, and funding for Planned Parenthood.

Congressman Markey supported the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the landmark health care law that includes historic new benefits for women, including access to birth control without a co-pay as well as a number of other preventive health care services. During the congressional debate on the ACA, Congressman Markey opposed the Stupak-Pitts amendment that would have effectively banned health coverage of abortion in the new health insurance marketplaces.