Springfield, IL – Today, NARAL announced their endorsement of Nikki Budzinski in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. NARAL is a national organization that works to organize their 2.5 million members nationwide for a pro-choice, pro-reproductive freedom agenda. NARAL has 19,364 members in Illinois.
NARAL’s endorsement is the latest in a broad coalition of support that Budzinski is building, including U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, the Illinois AFL-CIO, EMILY’s List, State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Rep. “Chuy” García, Rep. Sean Casten, Rep. Cheri Bustos, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Rep. Mike Quigley, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. Bill Foster, Madison County, St. Clair County, and Sangamon County Democrats, State Senator Christopher Belt, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, House Democratic Caucus Chair LaToya Greenwood, State Representative Katie Stuart, UFCW Local 881, Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), The United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC), SEIU State Council, United Steelworkers (USW), IBEW Locals 51, 146, 193, 309, 601 and 649, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Sheet Metal Air Rail and Transportation Workers’ Union, Heat and Frost Insulators, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI), Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Local 8, League of Conservation Voters, J Street, NewDem Action Fund, Elect Democratic Women, Pastor T. Ray McJunkins, County Chairs Bill Houlihan (Sangamon), and Pam Monetti (Macoupin).
Nikki Budzinski made the following statement: “There has never been a more important time to elect pro-choice, Democratic women to Congress. As reproductive freedom is under attack across the country, I’m glad there are partners and allies like NARAL to fight back. I am thrilled to have their support and look forward to working with them in Congress.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement: “We are proud to endorse these future leaders for reproductive freedom during this pivotal moment. Christina Bohannan, Nikki Budzinski, and Jackie Gordon are committed to fighting for our fundamental rights and ready to take the bold action needed to safeguard our freedom to make our own decisions about pregnancy, free from political interference. With the Supreme Court’s anti-choice supermajority poised to end Roe v. Wade this year, we need representatives in Congress who represent the values of the majority now more than ever. We know that these outstanding future leaders will fight back against attacks on abortion access and help us build a future where reproductive freedom is a reality for all of us.”
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Nikki Budzinski is a labor activist, former Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget in the Biden Administration and Senior Advisor to Governor JB Pritzker. Born in Peoria, Illinois, she’s the granddaughter of a union painter and public-school teachers. Nikki has over ten years’ experience in the labor movement, working for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and International Association of Fire Fighters.
