Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut Endorses Governor Ned Lamont

Hartford, CT – Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut (PPV!CT) proudly endorses Connecticut constitutional officers Governor Ned Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, Treasurer Erick Russell, Comptroller Sean Scanlon, and Attorney General William Tong, for reelection. Now more than ever, we need a Governor and executive branch who deeply understand what’s at stake for sexual and reproductive health care access in Connecticut and have the proven track record of fighting for patients and providers.

“The Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have endangered patients’ health and lives. They have waged an all-out assault on sexual and reproductive health and Planned Parenthood–but we are not backing down,” said Amanda Skinner, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut. “The fight to protect Planned Parenthood patients’ access to care at their trusted provider is far from over. As we continue fighting back against relentless attacks on our reproductive health and rights–and health care overall–now is the time for the state to double down, continuing to be the firewall against the Trump Administration and a hostile federal government. Governor Lamont is the steadfast champion we need and deserve in this critical moment.”

In the four years since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Governor Lamont and his administration have been unwavering in their leadership and commitment to defend reproductive freedom. Among the many actions they have taken are:

• Becoming the first in the nation to enact a provider shield law through the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act in 2022 and expanding access to abortion care by modernizing our state law.
• Challenging the administration in court through multiple lawsuits, including to defend access to reproductive health care. 
• Investing in reproductive health care through a critical one-time allocation for Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) to backfill blocked federal Medicaid funding and ensure patients could continue accessing essential preventive care at their trusted PPSNE provider.
• Increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates through the state budget adjustment this year to ensure the long-term sustainability of reproductive health care providers across Connecticut. 
• Creating the Safe Harbor Fund to support individuals and families who need to travel to access reproductive or gender-affirming health care.

“Our state continues to be a leader in defending reproductive freedom and protecting bodily autonomy, and our work to win back our rights and freedoms is dependent on this fierce commitment to state-level advocacy demonstrated by the Lamont Administration,” said Gretchen Raffa, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer of Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut. 

“The stakes of this election are far too high,” continued Raffa. **“**Now, more than ever, we need champions who will fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom–including abortion and gender-affirming care.  We are proud to support Governor Lamont in this year’s primary, and reelect him and our constitutional officers who have been uncompromising, unapologetic champions of reproductive rights, and who we know will uphold the protections we’ve worked so hard to secure in our state.”

Today’s endorsements have officially launched PPV!CT’s electoral program, where we will talk to voters about what’s at stake this election and which candidates will fight for their rights and protect their freedom. We will continue to announce endorsements in the coming weeks.

Primary election day is Tuesday, August 11, 2026, with early voting from August 3 to August 9, 2026.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with early voting from October 19 to November 1, 2026.