Press Release

PRH Responds to Historic Midterms

November 4, 2026

OUR STATEMENT

Yesterday, in a historic midterm election that led to a Democratic majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, people showed up in support of access to abortion and the health and wellbeing of our communities. Dr. Jamila Perritt, President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health and ob/gyn in Washington DC responds: 

“Today, 10 years after Trump was elected as President of the United States for the first time, we woke up with a promise of new political leadership across federal and state offices committed to undoing some of the real harm, violence, and trauma caused by the Trump Administration. Our community members have spoken their values loud and clear: we are tired of our family and neighbors being harmed by the Trump Administration and we are demanding change.  

“From Texas to Kansas, from Georgia to North Carolina, communities elected governors and congresspeople who join us in our demands for the Trump Administration to be held accountable for the ways they have caused violent damage to our bodily autonomy and basic human rights. 

“These midterms were notable as we watched anti-abortion, fascist forces spend more money than ever to try and control our bodies, communities, and freedom. Despite pro-abortion, pro-autonomy and dignity candidates being far outspent, they won. The people won. The people won because we are tired of business as usual. The people won because our communities demanded change. This shows the clear power of our movements and the power of people working towards our collective vision of a world where we can all be healthy, safe, and free.  The very states where we saw a change of leadership in the Senate and the House are the states where we saw some of the earliest abortion bans and trigger bans before and after Dobbs, more recent attacks on gender-affirming care, and the continued decimation of social support programs that improve the health and wellbeing of pregnant people and families. We’ve seen the impact of these harmful policies, and we are sick and tired. 

“Since Trump took office, we have seen Americans reject the extremist agenda. They don’t want their immigrant neighbors thrown in detention, they don’t want trans youth to be ostracized and isolated, they want us all to have access to life saving essential health care and for our neighbors and loved ones to live safe, whole lives.  

“Once again, we saw that access to abortion deeply matters to our communities. From Nevada to Missouri to Virginia, we heard the voices of community members loud and clear: we will seize any opportunities to protect and expand access to full spectrum health care, including abortion. We are grateful for the leadership and organizing efforts in support of expanding protections for abortion in Idaho and, while it did not pass, the critical conversations with community members will continue to push this work forward.  

“While those elected often shared platforms in support of transgender rights, in Colorado, Arizona, and Nebraska ballot measures and initiatives passed that limit access to health care for transgender young people and inhibited their ability to play on the sports team that aligns with their gender identity. These fights are not over. We will continue advocating for the basic human rights of transgender people. 

“We know this is just the start of a long road of work ahead. We have to be committed to not just showing up to the polls, but showing up for each other week in and week out, whether it’s election season or not. The Administration and their allies will continue to double down now that they aren’t trying to influence midterm election outcomes. Through efforts to undermine the research on the safety and efficacy of medication abortion, spread disinformation about birth control, push gender-affirming care further out of reach through funding bans and harassing of health care institutions, and pursuing even more deportation of immigrants, we know we are up against a lot. 

“At Physicians for Reproductive Health, we are more ready than ever to meet this moment. Our community of dedicated physician advocates across the country are moving in lockstep with advocates, organizers, and patients to continue this momentum to put pressure on the Trump Administration and demand that the harm stops here. We will continue to see democracy as one tool to speak truth to power. And we will use our creativity, commitment, and compassion to sharpen our advocacy in the spirit of our collective liberation. This work is far from over, and we will not tire in this fight to build a world where we can all get free; where we all can live safe, healthy, and whole lives.”