Vice President Biden and Senator Tina Smith Win Minnesota

St. Paul, MN— Minnesotans have chosen Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Tina Smith to represent them in Washington, D.C.-- elected leaders who will fight for affordable health care and reproductive rights. High voter turnout in Minnesota sent a clear signal to President Trump and Jason Lewis that Minnesotans do not support their relentless efforts to take away reproductive rights and essential health care.

The Planned Parenthood of Minnesota Political Action Fund (PPMPAF), an independent expenditure PAC, played a critical role in educating voters and getting them out to vote for Vice President Biden, Senator Tina Smith, and other candidates in key races. PPMPAF spent $1.5 million this fall to educate voters and to elect sexual and reproductive health champions to state and federal office. This year, PPMPAF’s staff and volunteers used new technology to connect with friends and family about voting during the pandemic, including 650,000 contacts with voters by phone and text — more than a 400 percent increase compared to the organization’s outreach in the 2018 election.

This year, PPMPAF was also a key partner in the new WIN Justice coalition, which focused on building strong relationships with voters of color and young people. The coalition fueled community organizing and outreach and paid advertising to engage communities often overlooked by traditional political institutions.

“While votes are still being counted in Minnesota and across the country, it’s clear that Minnesotans want reproductive health champions representing us in D.C.,” said Sarah Stoesz, President of the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund. “Senator Tina Smith is a proud alumnus of Planned Parenthood, and we are so thrilled to have her health care expertise in the Senate. Communities of color, young people and women turned out in remarkable ways to make their voices heard in this election, and I am extremely proud to stand with the thousands of Planned Parenthood volunteers and supporters who made a real difference in these key races.”

“While we are celebrating Senator Tina Smith’s re-election and Minnesota’s strong support for Vice President Biden, we know it will take some time before we know the results in many key races,” said Stoesz. “Every vote must be counted, and I want to thank all the Minnesotans who have stepped up to make our democracy work this election-- we are so grateful.”