Champs (Wisconsin!) and Chumps (Michigan!): Midwest Edition
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This week’s champs are our fierce and fearless leaders and volunteers from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, who tirelessly worked in a historical recall election to replace the far-right politicians who have been pushing extreme and dangerous measures in the state.
These women and men played an important role in electing John Lehman to defeat State Senator Van Wanggaard, who has a record of voting against women and women’s access to critical, lifesaving preventive health care. For over a year, Wisconsin women tried to work with Wanggaard and his allies to change their mind, but he continued to vote in lockstep with Governor Scott Walker and the Republican majority to defund Planned Parenthood, cutting access to lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing and treatment, and health exams.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin put an ad up on TV to educate voters on Wanggaard’s record, and they helped turn out voters in the race — making over 5,000 phone calls and knocking on over 3,500 doors. Ultimately, Wanggaard was defeated and the Republican majority will end.
Because of their hard work and dedication we’re giving them this week’s Champ title. Check out some of their photos below:
Our chumps this week hail from Michigan — where opponents of women’s health, seemingly out of nowhere, pushed for extreme and dangerous legislation that could further restrict women’s access to care. Last week, politicians introduced a 60-page omnibus bill that includes provisions to drastically limit abortion access in the state.
Immediately after denying dozens of women, as well as numerous leading medical professional organizations, the opportunity to testify against this restrictive bill at a public hearing yesterday, a Michigan House committee voted to approve the sweeping abortion ban. Just months after Sandra Fluke was denied the chance to testify on behalf of women who use birth control on Capitol Hill, it’s unbelievable to think it’s happening to Michigan women. But that is the reality in the state right now.
For pushing for these extreme and dangerous measures, and for refusing to let women testify in the hearing on the bill, these Michigan politicians have truly earned our chump of the week title.
