Contact: Casey Olesko 201.647.5502 / Casey.Olesko@ppgnnj.org

WAYNE, NJ — Today, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey (PPAFNJ) held a pre-debate rally in front of the Shea Center for the Arts at William Paterson University to show support for Phil Murphy — the only candidate who supports women’s reproductive health and rights unequivocally. Carrying signs in support of the #WomenForMurphy campaign, supporters made clear that Phil Murphy is the true leader on women’s health in this race.

“For eight years, Kim Guadagno has stood by in silence while Governor Christie cut funding for desperately needed women’s health services,” said Christine Sadovy, political and legislative director with Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. “A vote for Phil Murphy is a sure vote for the women of New Jersey.”

Murphy is running on the pledge to be a strong leader for reproductive rights and economic justice for women. As the only candidate who has promised to protect Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers in the wake of federal attacks against health care, Murphy has stated he will work to restore and expand funding that was slashed in the past eight years.

Meanwhile, Kim Guadagno has been silent on the issue of reproductive health care access in New Jersey, despite a rise in sexually transmitted diseases and breast and cervical cancer cases during her tenure as Lieutenant Governor. In 2010, the Christie-Guadagno administration slashed $7.45 million dollars from the state budget for women’s health care. This funding went to lifesaving reproductive health care services, including breast and cervical cancer screenings, birth control, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STDs). Now, eight years later, New Jersey faces a public health crisis. There has been a 35 percent increase in cases of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases since 2009 and an increase in breast and cervical cancer cases with a disproportionate impact on communities of color, including an alarming 25.1 percent increase among Latinas.

Guadagno has stated she opposes funding for Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers. While Guadagno claims to be “pro-choice,” she wants to withhold funds from Planned Parenthood because the organization provides safe and legal abortion care.

According to recent polling from the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers, 78 percent of New Jersey voters – including 46 percent of Republican voters – support state funding for reproductive health care services.

In addition to tonight’s rally, PPAFNJ and their volunteers have been spearheading the #WomenForMurphy campaign, organizing train station canvasses, and hosting “Take Action House Parties” to galvanize women across New Jersey. Photos of the rallies are available at https://www.facebook.com/PPActionNJ/.