- Interest Groups
« Press Release from RespectAbility
January 5, 2016
Voters with Disabilities Key to Campaign 2016
Hillary Clinton announces Autism plan, following statements by more than a dozen other candidates on disability issues
Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 5 – While
campaigning in Iowa, Secretary Hillary Clinton became the first
candidate to announce an Autism plan following a week of talking about
related issues including mental health parity and Alzheimer’s research.
Clinton’s plan looks at how to address to Autism in a 360-degree
method, from early screening outreach and the transition into adulthood
with a focus on housing and employment to proper health insurance
coverage and a first-ever adult autism prevalence study.
What is most remarkable is that Clinton is just one of numerous
presidential candidates to be discussing disability issues. In
comparison, during the 2012 cycle, the word “disability” was very
rarely even uttered.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has been talking about autism
since his announcement video. Ohio Gov. John Kasich often
gets emotional when talking about the subject. Both governors,
like
some of the other candidates, have proven records on disability issues.
America has 56 million people with disabilities, comprising the largest
minority group in America.
“One in five Americans has a disability and the majority of voters have
a loved one with a disability. In past elections, we have been ignored.
During the 2016 campaign season, we will determine the outcome of the
election,” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of
RespectAbilityUSA.org, a nonprofit disability opportunities
organization.
The group’s online publication The RespectAbility Report has six reporters
covering candidates in the field and one based in Washington, D.C.,
with freelancers around the country.
Candidates on both sides of the aisle are beginning to talk about these
issues on a regular basis. From Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, John Kasich and Jeb Bush, among others, on the Republican side,
to Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley on
the Democratic side, presidential hopefuls are answering our questions
on employment for people with disabilities, accessibility to events,
alarming crime rates against people with disabilities, and many
more
topics of interest.
The disability communities in the early voting states of Iowa and New
Hampshire are encouraged by the candidates’ engagement with them. There
are 357,730 Iowans with disabilities, and 166,258 people with a
disability in New Hampshire.
More than 50 percent of Americans report having a family member or
close friend with a disability. Fifty-two percent of Democrats report
that they or a loved one have a disability, and for Republicans, a
smaller number of 44 percent report they have a disability.
Surprisingly, Independents have the largest number of voters who say
they have a disability, with 58 percent saying yes. This shows that
swing voters with disabilities and their families are up for
grabs.
Said Mizrahi, “In past elections we have seen the power of ‘soccer
moms’ and Hispanics as key swing voters. This year it is America’s
largest minority – and the one that anyone can join any time due to
accident or illness – people with disabilities. Voters with
disabilities, and the people who love and live with them, want
candidates that care about opportunities and success for people of ALL
abilities.”