Personal PAC's mission is to elect public officials at the state and local level who will ensure that all women can exercise their right to privacy and self-determination by having access to reproductive health care. Keeping government out of people's personal lives is a strongly held principle by the majority of Independent, Democratic and Republican voters in Illinois. The issue of reproductive health care is a bi-partisan issue. Thus, it is Personal PAC's goal to have a majority of Republicans and Democrats in both the Illinois House and Senate who are pro-choice. We support 100% pro-choice incumbents, regardless of party affiliation or challenger. In order to make certain that all women have access to family planning, pregnancy prevention and abortion services, the mission is simple. We need 60 pro-choice votes in the Illinois House, 30 pro-choice votes in the Illinois Senate and Governor who will sign pro-choice legislation and veto anti-choice legislation.
The 2008 primary and general elections provide Illinois voters with one of the greatest opportunities in over a decade to defeat right-wing anti-abortion candidates ( incumbents and challengers ) and replace them with pro-choice advocates. It will take a great deal of money and work, but this election offers so many opportunities that we cannot afford to ignore.
The following are just a few of the highlights in Tuesday's primary. ( The general election will have many more races and will be discussed after February 5th ) . To see a full list of Personal PAC's endorsements for state, county and judicial races, our Voters' Guide is available at www.personalpac.org .
Senate:
In 2006, Personal PAC was vitally involved in winning six Senate races against anti-abortion candidates and changing five senate districts from an anti-choice Senator to a pro-choice Senator. Our goal in 2008 is to change four additional districts from anti to pro-choice. Two Democratic primaries are important to having the strongest pro-choice candidates in November. In the 26th district ( northwest Cook and Lake counties ) , anti-choice Republican Bill Peterson is retiring. With Personal PAC's full support, Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes is running a great campaign to be the Democratic nominee in order to defeat Dan Duffy, the only Republican and a right-winger, in Novemvber. In the 38th district,Democrat Rudy Martin is receiving Personal PAC's support to take on anti-choice incumbent Republican Senator Gary Dahl. Personal PAC is fully supporting articulate and passionate pro-choice leader Heather Steans to replace retiring Senator Carol Ronen in the 7th district.
House:
In 2007, proposed legislation in the Illinois House ( HB 317 ) to protect pregnant teenagers who are victims of sexual abuse and violence by giving them a counseling option by caring and trusted professionals failed shamefully by five votes. It is critical that in 2008, Personal PAC play a significant role in replacing as many Democrats and Republicans as possible who voted against HB 317. We cannot stand by and allow elected officials to callously put the health and lives of teenagers at risk. In these primaries, vacant seats represent great opportunities. In the 92nd district ( Peoria ) , two pro-choice Democrats ( Allen Mayer and Jehan Gordon ) are vying for the Democratic nomination to replace retiring 100% anti-choice Republican Aaron Schock. The Republican nominee is unknown at this time. In the 40th district ( Chicago ) pro-choice Deb Mell is the only candidate on the ballot at this time. Republicans Christine Prochno in the 66th district ( Northwest suburbs ) and Kay Hatcher in the 50th district ( Kendall and Kane counties ) are vying to replace pro-choice Republican State Reps. Carolyn Krause and Pat Lindner, both of whom are retiring form the House. Prochno and Hatcher both face serious right-wing opponents in the Republican primary and Personal PAC is doing everything it can to make certain they prevail as to keep these seats in the pro-choice column. Also in the Republican primary, pro-choice Doug Krause in the 48th district ( Naperville ) is up against two anti-choice right wingers. Krause has Personal PAC's full support as he would replace the far right anti-choice Republican incumbent, Jim Meyer, who is retiring. In the 56th district Democratic primary ( Northwest suburbs ) , anti-choice leader, Republican turned Democrat Paul Froehlich, must be defeated in order to make way for a more moderate Democrat or Republican.
It is vitally important for all pro-choice voters to cast an informed ballot Feb. 5 in the primary of their choice. After all, we are the majority in Illinois. Let us not forget that right-wingers only get elected when pro-choice voters do not vote in elections.
Terry Cosgrove is executive director of Personal PAC, a bipartisan political action committee dedicated to electing pro-choice candidates to state and local office in Illinois.