The following guest post comes to us via Kelley Dupps, political engagement coordinator for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona.

Fred DuVal trusts women.

Tea Party Republican Doug Ducey acknowledged this weekend that despite all of the support from the Koch brothers, he and his Democratic opponent, Fred DuVal, are tied in the polls with two weeks left until Election Day. This revelation comes on the heels of the marriage equality court case decision on Friday.

We’ve all heard about the issues in this campaign — education, jobs, veterans — and we can all agree that these are important issues that will face the next governor of Arizona. But it’s what we haven’t heard that really sets these two candidates apart: women’s health. We have yet to hear from Mr. Ducey how he believes that the government should ban abortion in all cases — even those cases of rape, incest, or health of the mother. And that is just the start of Mr. Ducey’s long list of how he doesn’t trust women, or their families, and how he would like the government to intrude into people’s lives.

Women’s health and reproductive justice have barely been a blip on the screen. This is unfortunate because reproductive rights are the single largest set of issues distinguishing the candidates. Doug Ducey has installed Cathi Herrod from an extreme lobbying group, Center for Arizona Policy, as a key adviser on his campaign. Though he has tried to sell himself as a “moderate,” he seeks the advice of Ms. Herrod, who has been behind heinous discriminatory bills — such as this year’s SB 1062, widely regarded as an attack on the LGBTQ community — that have made our state a laughingstock.

The choice for Arizonans couldn’t be clearer: Fred DuVal. He has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona and supports the right for women, and all Arizonans, to make medical decisions without interference from politicians.

Mr. Ducey, who is endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee and the Center for Arizona Policy, has yet to share his beliefs about how politicians should be a deciding voice in personal health care decisions. Since a majority of Arizonans do not support such an out-of-touch and outdated view, it makes sense that he’s remaining tight-lipped about it — until he gets CAP bills to sign, anyway.

We know that the ability for a woman to make her own health care decisions is paramount. We’ve also seen legislation passed year after year that chips away at that ability to make health care choices without politicians inserting their personal ideologies. More and more restrictions by the government perpetuate the mistrust of women to make their own decisions. This is why it’s so important to vote in this election.

There is a clear distinction between these two candidates — Fred DuVal trusts women. Doug Ducey does not trust women. Election Day is November 4. Early voting is currently happening. For more information, please check out the PPAA Voter Guide.

Additional information:

Endorsed by National Right to Life Committee: Ducey was endorsed by the Arizona Right to Life PAC in 2010, and the National Right to Life PAC in 2014. [Arizona Right to Life Primary Endorsements, 2010; National Right to Life Committee, 2014]

Ducey Opposes Abortion Even in Cases of Rape, Incest, and to Protect the Health of the Mother: According to his answers on the Center for Arizona Policy’s 2010 and 2014 candidate surveys, Ducey opposes abortion even in the cases of rape, incest, and to protect the health of the mother. [Center for Arizona Policy Candidate Survey, 2010, 2014]