Abortion-rights group unveils first 2024 endorsements

A prominent abortion-rights group unveiled its first round of endorsements for the 2024 House elections, backing two dozen Democratic incumbents. 

NARAL Pro-Choice America rolled out the endorsements ahead of the first anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade — which had established a constitutional right to have an abortion — on Saturday. 

The group said in a release that electing candidates who will “fight for reproductive freedom has never been more essential” as lawmakers in more than two dozen states have advanced legislation placing restrictions on abortion. More than 20 states have enacted trigger bans or other laws to almost entirely ban access to abortion in the year since the court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, which overturned Roe. 

Mini Timmaraju, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said in a statement that reelecting the representatives the group is endorsing will move the country a step closer to passing legislation to protect and expand abortion rights. 

“Since the day Roe was overturned, voters proved without a shadow of a doubt that they will come out to support abortion access and the candidates who are ready to fight alongside them,” Timmaraju said. “With the GOP doubling down on their out-of-touch policies, voters will be even more motivated to keep them out of office in 2024.”

The Democratic lawmakers that the group endorsed are Reps. Mary Sattler Peltola (Alaska), Mike Levin (Calif.), Yadira Caraveo (Colo.), Jahana Hayes (Conn.), Nikki Budzinski (Ill.), Eric Sorensen (Ill.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Jared Golden (Maine), Hillary Scholten (Mich.), Dan Kildee (Mich.), Angie Craig (Minn.), Wiley Nickel (N.C.), Chris Pappas (N.H.), Gabe Vasquez (N.M.), Susie Lee (Nev.), Steven Horsford (Nev.), Pat Ryan (N.Y.), Greg Landsman (Ohio), Emilia Sykes (Ohio), Andrea Salinas (Ore.), Susan Wild (Pa.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.), Abigail Spanberger (Va.) and Kim Schrier (Wash.). 

The representatives mostly represent closely contested districts that will likely be among the main targets for Republicans to try to pick up in the House in 2024. 

The battle over abortion rights in the aftermath of Roe’s overturn has been seen as a key factor in Democrats’ successes in the November midterm elections, during which the party defied historical trends in keeping a majority in the Senate and only narrowly losing control of the House.

Exit polls showed abortion was one of the most important issues that voters had in mind when they went to the polls.