• Press Release

Buehler Directly Attacks Organizations that Defend Women’s Reproductive Health

August 21, 2017

August 21, 2017​

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an op-ed over the weekend, Republican gubernatorial challenger Knute Buehler directly attacked organizations that defend women's reproductive health while at the same time claiming to be so-called “pro-choice.”

Buehler’s rhetorical dance doesn’t match his record of opposing women’s reproductive health rights:

  • Buehler accepted support from the anti-choice organization Oregon Right to Life for his 2014 legislative race.
  • Last year, he refused to defend Planned Parenthood.
  • Earlier this spring, Buehler voted no on the Reproductive Health Equity Act- which would expand access to reproductive health services.

“Republican Knute Buehler is claiming to be so-called ‘pro-choice,’ while directly attacking organizations that defend women’s reproductive health and provide critical life-saving care to tens of thousands of Oregon patients. He can't have it both ways,” said EMILYs List Executive Director Emily Cain. “This is just another page from the Buehler playbook to paper over his past record of opposing women’s reproductive health rights. Oregon women and families can’t trust Knute Buehler.”

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Democratic women candidates – making them one of the most successful political organizations ever. Our grassroots community of over five million members helps Democratic women wage competitive campaigns – and win. We recruit and train candidates, support strong campaigns, research the issues that impact women and families, and turn out women voters. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 116 women to the House, 23 to the Senate, 12 governors, and over 800 to state and local office. Forty percent of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Since the 2016 election, thousands of women and counting have reached out to us about running for office. To harness this energy, EMILYs List has launched Run to Win, an unprecedented effort to get more women to run at the local, state, and national levels.