NARAL Pro-Choice America Asks TX-28 Voters: Do You Want a Fraud or a Fighter?

Today, just 12 days before voting begins in the primary election in Texas' 28th Congressional District, NARAL Pro-Choice America released digital ads in English and Spanish in support of reproductive freedom champion Jessica Cisneros. This digital ad buy, which is part of a six-figure program, exposes Cisneros' opponent, Representative Henry Cuellar (TX-28). Rep. Cuellar has made clear that his constituents cannot trust him to protect South Texans' fundamental freedom to make their own decisions about their families and futures. Instead, he supports attacks on their fundamental rights and efforts to push access to abortion care out of reach.

NARAL Pro-Choice America Deputy Political Director Courtney Federico released the following statement:

"The residents of Texas' 28th Congressional District need a fighter in office who will champion reproductive freedom. That fighter is Jessica Cisneros. For the last five months, Texas Republicans have bucked the constitution and instead turned neighbors against one another with their vigilante-enforced ban on abortion. Rep. Henry Cuellar is in lockstep with Republicans--stripping Texans of their freedom for his own political gain. Instead of protecting abortion access by voting to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), he turned his back on his constituents when it mattered most. With so much at stake for reproductive freedom, we need a champion. NARAL is working hard through this primary to ensure Cisneros can be that champion."

This week, NARAL Pro-Choice America committed to deploying three members of its organizing staff to TX-28 until election day to fuel on-the-ground efforts to elect Cisneros, as well as committing to making 25,000 direct voter contact calls, knocking on 3,000 doors, sending 10,000 texts, recruiting 150 volunteers, and holding 10 events to mobilize voters in TX-28 ahead of election day.

Cisneros is a champion for reproductive freedom and is challenging anti-choice Rep. Cuellar for the second time. An immigration and human rights attorney from Laredo, Texas, Cisneros dedicated her career to fighting for her community. NARAL endorsed Cisneros in September of 2021--just days after Texas' vigilante-enforced ban on abortion (SB 8) went into effect. Cisneros previously earned NARAL's endorsement in her 2020 primary bid, where she received 48% of the vote, losing by a very narrow margin.

In the wake of SB 8, the U.S. House passed the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), a critical piece of legislation that would safeguard the legal right to abortion should Roe v. Wade fall. Instead of upholding his constituents' right to make their own decisions about pregnancy and parenthood, anti-choice Rep. Cuellar was the only Democrat to vote no.

Rep. Cuellar has a long history of using his power to undermine reproductive freedom in Congress. Rep. Cuellar voted in support of Trump-era attacks on the Title X family planning program. He was the only Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee in 2021 to support the discriminatory, anti-choice Hyde Amendment, which bans coverage of abortion care for those who receive their health insurance through Medicaid.