NY-20 special election is tomorrow!

Kristin Koch is the Deputy Director for Online Strategies at NARAL Pro-Choice America

The special election to fill New York's 20th congressional district is tomorrow, and it feels like the world is watching.

As many news outlets have reported, the race could give Washington an indication of how the country feels about the Obama administration - especially in a traditionally moderate part of the country.

Leaving nothing to chance, groups like NARAL Pro-Choice America, the DNC, and even President Obama are getting involved, sending emails to NY-20 voters and raising money for a last-minute push for Scott Murphy and against Jim Tedisco.

These last minute outreach efforts seem to be working: the latest poll shows Scott Murphy leading Tedisco by four points! (In February, Tedisco led by 12 points.)

But what's the race have to do with a woman's right to choose? Tons.

Both the U.S. House and Senate have taken several key votes on choice this year, and having a pro-choice ally in NY-20 would be key. Here's a snapshot of why pro-choice lawmakers matter:

• Two anti-choice amendments were offered to a bill that funds AmeriCorp of all things. One would have funneled federal dollars to so-called "crisis pregnancy centers," which advance an anti-choice agenda. And the other would make any health-care organization that provides or refers for abortion care ineligible to receive the critical support of volunteers. We beat the CPC amendment in the Senate, but unfortunately the latter amendment snuck through the House at the last minute.
• The pro-choice community has been trying to pass a bill to create the first-ever federal sex-education program (and finally put a stop to funds for Bush's ridiculous and dangerous "abstinence-only" policy) - but until we have more pro-choice lawmakers, the bill is stuck.
• It's also up to Congress to approve the federal budget, which is chock full of programs that help low-income women, like the program that provides reproductive-health care to women.

Electing Scott Murphy and keeping NY-20 in pro-choice hands couldn't be more important, especially since we're finally seeing progress in Washington. In the last election cycle alone, we picked up 21 new pro-choice members of the House and five in the Senate.

If you live in NY-20, get ready to vote for pro-choice Scott Murphy tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31!