Crystal Quade gains endorsement from Planned Parenthood in 2024 gubernatorial bid
Crystal Quade gained a notable endorsement from Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes in her 2024 bid for Missouri governor.
Quade, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, would be the first female governor of Missouri if elected. Quade currently represents District 132, which includes part of Greene County, in the Missouri House of Representatives, where she serves as minority floor leader.
“It’s an honor to receive Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes’ endorsement,” Quade said in a release. “At a time when Missourians have had their rights and liberties taken away, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes has been a champion of restoring those rights and ensuring Missourians are able to access quality, affordable reproductive healthcare. Together, we are going to bring desperately needed change to the Show-Me State.”
Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, attributes the endorsement to Quade’s longstanding history of defending reproductive health care in the state legislature.
“As a leader in the Missouri House, she has been a champion on sexual and reproductive health, and she has vowed to help rebuild meaningful access to abortion care in Missouri,” Wales said in a release. “Plenty of politicians show up when they want your vote, but throughout her career, Crystal has been committed to the hard work necessary to push back on politicians set on undermining the people they serve.”
Abortion rights is sure to be a pivotal campaign issue for political hopefuls seeking office in the 2024 elections. Competing initiative petitions looking to restore abortion rights are seeking a spot on the ballot next year, although they differ in the restrictions placed upon when an abortion can be obtained.
Missouri was the first state to activate a trigger law banning abortions from being performed in the state following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade.
More: Many groups support abortion in Missouri, but no single petition has unanimous backing
Quade faces competition in the Democratic primary from Mike Hamra, a Springfield businessman who operates Hamra Enterprises, known for its management of chain restaurants such as Wendy’s, Panera Bread and Noodles and Co. Hamra has also expressed support for restoring the right for women to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions.
The victor of the Democratic August primary caucus will face off against the winner of the GOP primary, which could be Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft or state Sen. Bill Eigel.
Ashcroft has received the single endorsement of Missouri Right to Life, an anti-abortion advocacy group. Eigel has no tolerance for abortions being conducted in the state. Kehoe, however, has previously stated that he is open to considering exceptions for rape and incest.
Quade’s list of endorsements has been steadily growing since she announced her candidacy in July, earning support from labor unions, environmental groups and current and former elected officials.
To list a few, she is endorsed by AccessMO, the Missouri Women’s Leadership Coalition, the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Missouri Women’s Political Caucus, the Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus, and the Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club, Missouri AFL-CIO, SEIU State Council and Healthcare, Missouri IBEW State Conference, UFCW Local 655, Teamsters Local 245, the Greater Kansas City and Sedalia Building & Construction Trades Councils, and the Missouri-Kansas-Nebraska Conference of Teamsters.
Quade was also endorsed by former Gov. Bob Holden and former Secretary of State Jason Kander, three state senators and 37 state representatives.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Crystal Quade endorsed by Planned Parenthood in 2024 gubernatorial bid
