NOW PAC Statement on Warren Suspending Campaign

The National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (NOW PAC) thanks Senator Elizabeth Warren for her historic campaign and calls on the remaining candidates to take a lesson from her on how to govern and champion issues important to voters.

NOW PAC endorsed Warren based on her commitment to NOW's core issues, but also because she exhibits other critical presidential qualities that lacked coverage in the media and debates.

"Yes, Warren had the best policies," said NOW PAC Chairwoman Toni Van Pelt. "But Warren also had the best judgment, had the best constituency outreach, hired the best people, and evolved her campaign based on feedback from those most affected by her policies."

Unfortunately, the media and debates never gave voters information on how the candidates' records and plans directly impacted women – especially women of color. NOW PAC has called out the fact that debate questions and media coverage frame issues in the form of questions like "How are you the best candidate to pass gun control reforms?" This allows candidates to pivot to electability – an inherently racist and sexist concept when this country has elected 43 white presidents, one black president, and zero women.

With no viable women or non-white candidates left, it is imperative that the remaining candidates do better to intentionally discuss campaign issues with a gender and racial lens that they personally do not possess.

"They need to take a lesson from Warren's campaign," Van Pelt said. "She listened to constituencies she was not a part of, took their criticism seriously without being defensive, changed her policies, and analyzed every policy with multiple lenses: race, gender, class, immigration status, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”

NOW PAC also calls on media outlets covering the election to re-evaluate how they cover the remaining candidates and the General Election. Our #AskThemMore campaign at nowpac.org/ask-them-more has 12 questions that campaigns can start talking about, debate moderators can start asking and the media can start writing stories about.

NOW PAC has not made any decisions about endorsing another presidential candidate but has already endorsed more than 100 feminist Senate and House candidates. See the full list at nowpac.org/federal2020.

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ABOUT NOW PAC

Since 1977, the National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (NOW PAC) has worked to elect more uncompromising feminists to the White House and Congress. NOW PAC's aggressive grassroots organizing and early support for feminist candidates have been changing the faces of those elected to federal office. NOW PAC only raises money from NOW members, so our political work is 100% grassroots.

Please use the Facebook and Twitter handles @NationalNOWPAC for any social media content about this media release.

NOW PAC Endorses Warren for President

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN PAC ENDORSES ELIZABETH WARREN FOR PRESIDENT

For media inquiries, email press@now.org or call (202) 570-4745.

The National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (NOW PAC) is proud to endorse Senator Elizabeth Warren as the 46th President of the United States.

NOW PAC is the political arm of NOW, the largest grassroots feminist organization in the country.

The PAC evaluates federal candidates on their record and uncompromising dedication to the core issues of NOW: Constitutional Equality, Ending Violence Against Women, Economic Justice, LGBTQIA+ Justice, Racial Justice, and Reproductive Justice.

“Senator Warren has the most comprehensive, intersectional plans to tackle the issues important to NOW,” said NOW PAC Chairwoman Toni Van Pelt. “Her campaign, her staff and her coalition of support shows her Administration will finally execute and pass these policies that NOW has worked toward for decades.”

As NOW PAC has repeatedly called out, most candidates, debate moderators and the media only discuss the specific issues facing women through the lens of families and children and specific topics like reproductive health or pay equity.

“Warren understands that women have particular experiences with the economy, immigration, gun violence and climate change — and her policies and campaign reflect this,” Van Pelt said. “And in particular, her campaign has repeatedly linked racial equity and gender equity to every issue.”

Senator Warren’s record is clear:

CONSTITUTIONAL EQUALITY

• Outspoken supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.

• Cosponsor for the Senate Resolution to remove the ERA deadline.

ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

• Cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, which extends grant programs authorized by VAWA of 1994.

• Introduced the Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act, which includes an entire section about ending domestic abusers' access to guns.

• Introduced START Act, which looks at using intensive outpatient treatment for victims of military sexual assault.

• Introduced End Banking for Human Traffickers Act, which combats illicit financing relating to human trafficking.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE

• Cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which intends to end pay discrimination.

• Introduced the Schedules That Work Act to help women in low wage jobs have more control over their hours and more stable schedules.

• Introduced the Universal Childcare and Early Learning Act, which helps to expand universal childcare.

• Introduced a campaign plan called Universal Child Care, which will use the income from a wealth tax to establish free high quality child care.

LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS

• Cosponsor of the Equality Act, which will prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes.

• Cosponsor of the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act, which would require more LGBTQIA+ inclusive sex education in schools.

• Introduced a campaign plan for Securing LGBTQIA+ Rights and Equality, which addresses a variety of issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community, including discriminatory religious exemptions, housing discrimination, and supporting trans youth.

RACIAL JUSTICE

• Cosponsor of the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act, which comprehensively addresses the practice of biased treatment by law enforcement.

• Introduced a campaign plan called Valuing the Work of Women of Color, which boost wages for women of color and open new pathways to the leadership positions they deserve.

• Introduced a campaign plan called A Working Agenda for Black America which is a comprehensive list of all her plans relating to racial justice.

• Introduced a campaign plan to End Private Prisons which bans private prisons and reforms the prison system.

• Introduced a campaign plan for Restoring America’s Promise to Latinos which includes comprehensive reform to various issues including immigration, funding for Puerto Rico, and closing the pay gap for Latinas.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND JUSTICE

• Cosponsored the EACH Woman Act, which provides equal access to abortion coverage under health insurance plans.

• Cosponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act, which provides protections to women seeking abortions and health care providers that have abortion services.

• Cosponsored the FAMILY Act, which creates an office of Paid Family leave and Medical leave and entitles Family Leave and Medical Leave insurance.

• Introduced a bill to extend family leave to part-time workers.

• Introduced a campaign plan called Congressional Action to Protect Choice, which guarantees reproductive health coverage as part of all health coverage.

• Introduced a campaign plan called Addressing our Maternal Mortality Epidemic, which intends to lower the maternal mortality rate of black women.

NOW PAC has consistently praised the historical weight of the 2020 race, where multiple women have stood on debate stages together and two women candidates have won delegates. NOW‘s state and local chapters have worked closely with former presidential candidates Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senator Kamala Harris.

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ABOUT NOW PAC
Since 1977, the National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (NOW PAC) has worked to elect more uncompromising feminists to the White House and Congress. NOW PAC’s aggressive grassroots organizing and early support for feminist candidates have been changing the faces of those elected to federal office. NOW PAC only raises money from NOW members, so our political work is 100% grassroots.

Please use the Facebook and Twitter handles @NationalNOWPAC for any social media content about this media release.