Planned Parenthood PAC backs Menendez

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the lobbying arm of the family-planning organization, backed U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez over his Republican challenger, Bob Hugin, on Wednesday.

“Sen. Menendez is a longtime supporter of the care that Planned Parenthood health centers provide,” said Dawn Laguens, the group’s executive vice president. “Menendez has fought against every attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and has advocated for access to birth control by co-sponsoring legislation to make it more affordable and accessible for all women.”

While both candidates favor abortion rights, it’s not surprising that the group would choose to back the Democrat, as members of that party tend to more readily fund Planned Parenthood.

Still, there’s some question about how many votes an endorsement from the group will move votes. That said, the group does have the ability to inject funds into a race.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the group has spent a little more than $1.3 million so far this cycle, though, as of the last filing deadline, it has yet to spend money in New Jersey.