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Political Party/527

National Organization for Women PAC

Website:

nowpac.org/
Location:

Washington, DC
Tax ID:

02-0597551
Tax-Exempt Status:

527

Formation:

1977
Type:

Far-left women’s rights
Chairwoman:

Toni Van Pelt

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NOW PAC is the political action committee of the social-liberal feminist advocacy group National Organization for Women (NOW). NOW PAC has endorsed over 500 candidates and spent more than $2 million in political contributions for Democrats from 2006-2017. 1 2

NOW PAC claims to endorse candidates who are either women or feminists, although its endorsement history shows support to be related to several left-wing views. 3 Its criteria for endorsement includes various left-wing social issues including gun control, liberal expansionist immigration, environmentalist approaches to anthropogenic climate change, and full access to and government funding for abortion. 4 5

Endorsements

NOW PAC claims to be centered around endorsing female and feminist political candidates and increasing the number of feminists in Congress. Historically the organization’s endorsements have gone exclusively to Democrats, and across certain states have gone exclusively to men. 6 7 8

NOW PAC endorsed of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries for her views and voting record on immigration, gun control, and environmentalism. After Senator Warren withdrew from the race, NOW PAC blamed the media and primary debates for poor coverage of her policies. The PAC also lamented the fact that there were “no viable women or non-white candidates left” and the remaining candidates would have to discuss issues “with a gender and racial lens that they personally do not possess”. 9 10

NOW PAC endorsed former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) in his 2016 campaign to retake his former seat for opposing a candidate who NOW PAC noted wants to “give legal rights to unborn children”; Feingold lost to incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). 11

In 2007, NOW PAC endorsed then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) for President until her withdrawal, at which point the PAC endorsed Democratic nominee and then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). NOW PAC endorsed Clinton again in the 2016 Presidential election as early as April 2015, claiming to have supported grassroots campaigning during her primary run. People working for NOW across 11 states were delegates in the 2016 Democratic National Convention for Clinton. 12

In 1982, NOW PAC was deeply criticized for refusing to endorse the unsuccessful Senate bid of Millicent Fenwick in New Jersey, although Fenwick was endorsed by another left wing women’s rights organization at the time, National Women’s Political Caucus. 13

In 1982, NOW PAC’s first major fundraising initiative was raising $3 million for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. 14

References

  1. “PAC Summary: National Organization For Women.” OpenSecrets, Center for Responsive Politics. 2006-2017. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00092247 
  2. “TIMELINE OF MAJOR ACTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, NOW 2006-2016.” NOW.org. Undated. Accessed November 3, 2017. https://now.org/about/history/timeline-of-major-actions-and-accomplishments-now-2006-2016/
  3. “The National Organization for Women PAC Awards Endorsement to Chris Bubser.” Chris Bubser for Congress. February 28, 2020. Accessed May 29, 2020. https://www.chrisbubser.com/post/the-national-organization-for-women-pac-awards-endorsement-to-chris-bubser
  4. “2020 Federal Endorsements.” National Organization for Women Political Action Committee. 2020. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://www.nowpac.org/federal2020
  5. “National Organization for Women PAC Endorses Elizabeth Warren for President.” National Organization for Women Political Acton Committee. 2020. Accessed June 1 2020. https://www.nowpac.org/warren
  6. “Highlights from NOW’s Forty Fearless Years.” National Organization for Women. 2012. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20130801084245/http://www.now.org/history/timeline.html
  7. “National Organization for Women.” Open Secrets. 2020. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00092247
  8. “All Federal Endorsements 2016.” National Organization for Women Political Action Committee. October 20, 2016. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202014450/https://www.nowpac.org/all-federal-candidates-2016/
  9. “National Organization for Women PAC Endorses Elizabeth Warren for President.” National Organization for Women Political Acton Committee. 2020. Accessed June 1 2020. https://www.nowpac.org/warren
  10. “NOW PAC Statement on Warren Suspending Campaign.” National Organization for Women Political Action Committee. March 6, 2020. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://www.nowpac.org/news/now-pac-statement-on-warren-suspending-campaign
  11. “Russ Feingold (D-WI, U.S. Senate)” National Organization for Women Political Action Committee. September 4, 2015. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20161202233039/http://nowpac.org/russ-feingold-d-wi-u-s-senate/
  12. “TIMELINE OF MAJOR ACTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, NOW 2006-2016.” NOW.org. Undated. Accessed November 3, 2017. https://now.org/about/history/timeline-of-major-actions-and-accomplishments-now-2006-2016/
  13. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/28/us/the-rising-force-of-women-s-pacs.html
  14. “Highlights from NOW’s Forty Fearless Years.” National Organization for Women. 2012. Accessed June 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20130801084245/http://www.now.org/history/timeline.html
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National Organization for Women PAC


Washington, DC