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The WINPAC Story: A History of Oregon's Grassroots Efforts to Elect Pro-Choice Women

 Collection
Identifier: Coll 1119

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of a history of WINPAC (Women's Investment Network Political Action Committee) from its founding in 1987 to 2022. The history describes the context and background of the organization's founding and its activities. It also includes appendices consisting of a timeline, board of directors and advisory council rosters, amounts of money the organization raised for candidates, and a list of candidates endorsed by WINPAC. The history also includes a map of the United States that lists similarly aligned organizations in other states and the year of their founding.

Dates

  • Creation: 2024

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Administrative History

WINPAC (Women's Investment Network Political Action Committee), founded in 1987, is an organization focused on electing women who support abortion rights to the Oregon Legislature. Founders included Betty Roberts, Jewel Lansing, Gretchen Kafoury, Darlene Hooley, Maureen Leonard, and Patricia McCaig. The impetus for founding WINPAC was a decline in the number of women serving in the Oregon Legislature and the nomination of anti-abortion judge Robert Bork for the U.S. Supreme Court. Since its founding, the organization has primarily endorsed Democrats, and as of 2023, all women Democrats in the Oregon Legislature had been endorsed by WINPAC.

Sources: Collection materials; "About," WINPAC website (accessed December 2025), https://www.oregonwinpac.com/about

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder in shared box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

A history of WINPAC (Women's Investment Network Political Action Committee), an Oregon organization founded in 1987 to support the election of women who support abortion rights to the Oregon Legislature. Founders included Betty Roberts, Jewel Lansing, Gretchen Kafoury, Darlene Hooley, Maureen Leonard, and Patricia McCaig.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Mabsie Walters, July 2025 (RL2025-073).

Related Materials

Other materials relating to the pro-choice movement in Oregon include the NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon records, Coll 1106.

Title
Guide to The WINPAC Story: A History of Oregon's Grassroots Efforts to Elect Pro-Choice Women
Status
Completed
Author
Jeffrey A. Hayes
Date
2025
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository

Contact:
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240