SC’s Cunningham gets endorsement from Planned Parenthood group
As U.S. Joe Cunningham heads into what is slated to be one of the most competitive Congressional races this year, the Charleston Democrat announced on Twitter Wednesday that he has the backing of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
“I’m honored to have received the endorsement of @PPact and I will continue to fight every day to protect the vital healthcare services they provide to women across the country,” Cunningham said on Twitter.
The endorsement announcement immediately got the attention of the South Carolina Republic Party, which, after losing the 1st Congressional District seat in the 2018 midterms, has vowed to put resources — both money and staff — on the ground to reclaim the seat the party held for 40 years.
Cunningham, who represents a largely conservative coastal district, is a top Republican target during the upcoming election. Cunningham has faced strong scrutiny by conservatives for many of his actions, most recently for voting in favor of the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
But Cunningham has also took actions favored by some conservatives, including co-sponsoring the Balanced Budget Amendment in Congress.
In a statement, S.C. GOP chairman Drew McKissick called Cunningham’s acceptance of the endorsement a “display of complete political tone deafness.”
Cunningham isn’t the only South Carolina candidate to win an endorsement from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which endorses candidates who are “committed to expanding access and removing barriers to care,” according to the group’s website.
The group also has endorsed U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison.
