LD26 Senate Candidate Christine Clarke Draws Contrast on Women’s Rights

Jefferson Twp., NJ:   26th Legislative District State Senate candidate Christine Clarke has received the endorsement of multiple women’s organizations in her 2021 race and today released a video drawing contrast between herself and her opponent, incumbent Joe Pennacchio, on women’s rights.

Clarke’s opponent, incumbent LD26 State Senator Joe Pennacchio, who just last year opined that there are “no glass ceilings in this country,” has sponsored bills to restrict women’s access to reproductive healthcare funding and services including abortion. His “Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act,” S462, includes presence of a heartbeat as a qualifier of being “born alive” and bans children “born alive” from expulsion, therefore would prohibit abortion before many women even know they are pregnant. The bill would also give the embryo or fetus legal personhood, and impose a sentence upon the abortion provider for attempting abortion of up to 30 years in prison.

Pennacchio has also voted against funding for women’s reproductive rights and healthcare services, against family leave benefits and more.  He wrote in his nationalist manifesto that he would support an Equal Rights Amendment that notes women “are physically different,” such that the ERA would “allow for equal pay for equal work but would prevent women from taking on jobs for which they are not physically able.”

“Joe Pennacchio’s extreme positions are a threat to women’s rights, safety and wellness,” said Clarke. “In light of what has happened to women in Texas, we can’t allow legislators in New Jersey who take similarly-horrifying positions on women’s rights to threaten rescinding personal control over basic and important freedoms, nor hard-fought rights generations of women before us have secured.”

Clarke is endorsed by the National Organization for Women in New Jersey, the New Jersey Federation of Democratic Women, the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey, Vote Mama PAC, #VoteProChoice, a project of Democrats.com LLC, and more. View her endorsements and what leaders are saying about her at clarkeforsenate.com/endorsements.

The 26th District includes 13 communities in Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties: Butler, Fairfield, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Montville, Morris Plains, North Caldwell, Parsippany, Rockaway Township, Verona, West Caldwell, and West Milford.