Planned Parenthood is throwing its support behind Hillary Clinton, delivering what will be the organization's first-ever endorsement in a presidential primary.
Katie Holmes endorses Hillary Clinton. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the nonprofit's advocacy arm, is making the endorsement. After tweeting about the endorsement Thursday, Clinton's account linked to a post titled "4 reasons a Republican president would be a nightmare for women's health" - a similar strategy to many of her other advertisements for the group.
The endorsement is not unexpected: the Democratic front runner's ties with Planned Parenthood are long standing, and she counts President Cecile Richards as a friend.
In a statement, Mrs. Clinton said she was "honored" by the endorsement and called a House bill to defund the group "a jarring reminder of what's at stake in 2016".
The group, which has been under fire from Republicans after a number of controversies over its abortion practices, will formally endorse Clinton at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Sunday, Fox News confirmed.
Oh! And FYI: Richards said that Planned Parenthood sent endorsement surveys to all the candidates in both parties.
This is the second national women's health group to back Clinton.
Clinton has vocally said she will defend the organization from what she has characterized as partisan attacks by Republicans in Congress. "Thankfully, President Obama will exercise his veto power to stop the Republicans from cutting off women, men, and young people from vital health care services at Planned Parenthood-including cancer screenings, well-woman exams, and STI and HIV tests-and taking away health coverage from 18 million people". A full 72 percent of voters, regardless of gender, said they believed abortion should be generally available or at least available with limits, according to a New York Times-CBS poll released earlier this fall.
