Thursday, January 11, 2018

Chicago, IL – Today, Personal PAC endorsed JB Pritzker for governor. For nearly 30 years, Personal PAC has fought to protect and advance reproductive rights for women in Illinois. With the endorsement, Personal PAC joins Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, the Illinois AFL-CIO, and over 30 individual unions in support of JB Pritzker.

“With Donald Trump trying to dismantle women’s rights in Washington, and with Bruce Rauner failing to stand up to him in Springfield, we are in the fight of our lives to defend women’s rights in Illinois,” said JB Pritzker. “I am so proud to stand with an organization on the frontlines of that fight. The women and men at Personal PAC are fierce and unwavering advocates for women’s health and the right to choose. When HB 40 came before Bruce Rauner’s desk, we stood together and demanded that Bruce Rauner sign it into law. Together, we will keep fighting for women’s rights in every corner of this state. Personal PAC knows how to win and that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this election.”

“Personal PAC is proud to join U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos, Mike Quigley and Luis Gutierrez, Secretary of State Jesse White, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Treasurer Mike Frerichs, HB 40 Sponsors Senator Heather Steans and Representative Sara Feigenholtz, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, Chicago Treasurer Kurt Summers, Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Illinois Education Association (IEA), Illinois Democratic County Chair’s Association and many others throughout Illinois in uniting behind JB Pritzker as the strongest pro-choice candidate in the Democratic primary and November general election,” said Personal PAC Board Chair Melissa Widen. “JB understands that reproductive rights are under attack in Illinois and across the country, and he has demonstrated a deep commitment to supporting pro-choice candidates, organizations and legislation. JB was a strong advocate for HB 40 and his campaign led a coordinated effort to pressure Gov. Rauner to sign the bill. Illinois needs a real pro-choice Governor who can be counted on to protect women and families at every turn.”

“It has become extremely clear to Personal PAC and most people in the State of Illinois that Bruce Rauner simply can’t be trusted to tell the truth,” said Personal PAC President & CEO Terry Cosgrove. “While Governor Rauner eventually did the right thing by signing HB 40, he took every conceivable position on the bill in the space of months, told different people different things at the same time, caused pro-choice advocates to spend countless hours and dollars getting him to keep his original written promise until he finally signed the bill. There is not a single pro-choice advocate in Illinois who can say with any certainty that if Gov. Rauner were re-elected, he would oppose the efforts to repeal HB 40. He sadly cannot be trusted to keep his word from one day to the next. On the other hand, Personal PAC has every confidence that JB Pritzker’s unwavering commitment to reproductive justice over several decades will ensure that Pritzker will be a pro-choice Governor that Illinois will be proud of every single day.”

###