Groundswell of Opposition to Kavanaugh Over Senate Recess

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  A groundswell of activity opposing the Supreme Court confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh marked the August Senate recess period from August 2-14. Advocates across the country took part in activities while Senators were in their home districts, using the opportunity to make their case directly to Senators and their staffs.  In states including Maine, Alaska, Nevada, Tennessee, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania, health care advocates highlighted the threat Kavanaugh poses for people with preexisting conditions, with letter and postcard deliveries, story-telling and press events. Many of the events were organized by the health care advocacy group Protect Our Care, with partners including labor unions and others.

One of the most active organizations over the recess period was Planned Parenthood, whose affiliates and supporters hosted over 300 events in 34 states, focused on Kavanaugh’s threats to women’s reproductive freedom, and made over 15,000 calls to Senators’ offices. Click here to see a list of Planned Parenthood events over the recess period.

Meanwhile in Alabama and Alaska, NAACP activists held events marking the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and highlighting Kavanaugh’s poor record on civil rights. In the San Francisco Bay Area, advocates held a meeting to inform the community about Kavanaugh; in Tucson, Arizona, health care advocates held a press conference focusing on Kavanaugh’s record; in Hartford, Connecticut, the American Constitution Society hosted a Town Hall on Kavanaugh with Sen. Richard Blumenthal; in Newport News, Virginia, attendees at a local town hall with Rep. Bobby Scott expressed opposition to Kavanaugh; in Phoenix, Arizona, activists held a phone bank/text bank event opposing Kavanaugh; and in North Dakota, Native American women published a joint letter opposing Kavanaugh. August 8 was a National Day of In-State Visits to Senators, and August 9 was a National Call-In Day as advocates placed calls to Senators urging them to Vote No on Kavanaugh. And on August 11, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Demand Justice kicked off the ten-city Rise Up for Roe tour highlighting Kavanaugh’s threat to reproductive rights.

Advocates documented their outreach on social media and in video.  Here, an advocate delivers a letter to Sen. Susan Collins’s office in Biddeford, Maine, signed by numerous constituents expressing concern about Kavanaugh’s threat to health care, and health care advocates held this Facebook Live event in Bangor. At this Facebook Live event in Las Vegas, Nevadans looked at what would happen if the Supreme Court ruling on Texas v. HHS eliminates protections for people with pre-existing conditions – a real threat under Kavanaugh.

Here is a sample of press coverage of the recess events: