Avow Texas Chief Executive Officer raven e. Freeborn (they/them) issued the following statement:

“In a state where abortion and pregnancy loss are criminalized, maternal mortality and sepsis rates soar, our neighbors are being terrorized by ICE, the highest number of children and adults in the country are living without health insurance, and many of us cannot afford to house and feed our families, we cannot accept leadership from anyone who refuses to see the material conditions that Texans live with every single day.

“Governance rooted in reproductive justice — the right to have children when and if we choose and to live our lives with access to the resources we need to thrive — is the only solution to the compounding crises Texans are experiencing.

“We’re endorsing these candidates because they are pro-abortion — but just as vital — they are committed to transforming systems of power for a Texas where reproductive justice governs at the center.

“As we endorse in a U.S. Senate race for the first time in our organization’s history, we must remind voters that Ken Paxton has over a decade of abusing power as Attorney General to inflict harm on Texans. From deadly abortion bans to family separation — his governance of corruption, cruelty, and control is dangerous for Texans and the nation.

“These eight leaders reflect the real Texas, and together, we will create lasting political change for our shared vision of a state and nation where our leaders truly serve the people, not billionaires and anti-abortion extremists.”