Ilyse Hogue, NARAL Pro-Choice America president, to leave influential advocacy group

NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue said Monday she is leaving the influential advocacy group she has led for the better part of a decade. 

In a series of tweets touting NARAL’s accomplishments during her tenure, Ms. Hogue pointed to her work shaping the Democratic Party’s platform in 2016 and 2020 and her work electing pro-choice Democrats, among other things. 

“Some news: After eight years of leading @NARAL, I shared with my team today that I am moving on,” Ms. Hogue wrote on Twitter. “Not right away — I’ll be here to support the team through the transition to our next lucky leader.”

Ms. Hogue won praise from several influential Democratic lawmakers and liberal activists that touted her stewardship as indispensable. 

“@ilyseh has been a fearless leader for @NARAL who shifted the narrative on abortion rights and reproductive freedom,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Democrat, on Twitter. “I’ve been honored to fight by her side for the past eight years. Ilyse, I’m so proud of you, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!”

Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who won reelection in November, likewise thanked Ms. Hogue on Twitter and said he was proud to call her a friend. 

“Women, families, and our country are better off because of her tireless work,” said Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, on Twitter. “Thank you, Ilyse.” 

In an interview with the New York Times announcing her departure, Ms. Hogue said she thought Democratic lawmakers were poised to make progress on codifying the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion, Roe v. Wade, into law, but added that she did not think the precedent was safe from being overturned.