Draft:Karyn Strickler

Strickler served as executive director of Maryland NARAL during a period of legislative and electoral debate over abortion rights in Maryland, including the passage of state abortion protections and the 1992 referendum.^[1]

Coverage in The Washington Post during this period described ongoing activism, legislative developments, and the broader political climate surrounding abortion policy in the state, in which Strickler was identified as a leading figure in advocacy efforts.^[2][3][4]

National coverage, including reporting in The New York Times, addressed Maryland’s abortion law and the broader policy debate, with Strickler appearing in discussions of legislative efforts and their implications.^[5][6]

During the 1992 referendum campaign, reporting highlighted the role of statewide organizing and the political salience of the issue, with Strickler among those involved in coordinating advocacy and electoral strategy.^[7]

Her role in Maryland abortion policy has also been examined in academic analyses of state-level politics, including Abortion Politics in American States.^[8]

Later coverage of abortion policy debates in other states continued to reference earlier legislative frameworks and advocacy efforts, with Strickler appearing in reporting on the broader implications of such laws.^[9]

Strickler later served as campaign director for the Endangered Species Coalition.^[10] Coverage at the time reflected broader national debates over conservation policy and efforts to strengthen the Endangered Species Act.^[11]

In his analysis of progressive organizing, historian Allan J. Lichtman discussed Strickler’s articulation of what she termed the "Do Nothing Strategy," describing it as a critique of foundation-dependent advocacy and its emphasis on incremental reform.^[12]

Strickler was also quoted in National Journal in connection with her work founding Fifty Plus One, a program focused on training pro-choice candidates in campaign strategy and grassroots organizing.^[13]

She later worked on electoral campaigns, including serving as finance director in the Democratic primary and volunteer director in the general election for Chris Van Hollen’s 2002 congressional campaign.^[14] She was also campaign manager for Allan Lichtman’s 2006 U.S. Senate campaign.^[15]

Her work has also been referenced in broader discussions of women’s political leadership in the United States, including in Madam President by Eleanor Clift.^[16]

Strickler is the founder and president of Vote Climate U.S. PAC, a political action committee focused on climate change and electoral advocacy.

The organization has been associated with efforts to evaluate candidates for federal and state office based on climate policy positions, voting records, and public leadership on climate issues.

Vox described the methodology and national scope of the group’s voter guide, including Strickler’s approach to evaluating candidates and framing climate as an electoral issue.^[17]

Reporting in Forbes on the 2018 midterm elections referenced Vote Climate U.S. PAC in the context of broader shifts in candidates’ positions on climate change.^[18]

Coverage by E&E News during the 2020 election cycle examined how Democratic candidates approached climate policy, including the use of evaluation frameworks such as those developed by Vote Climate U.S. PAC.^[19]

Inside Climate News has also reported on strategies for identifying and electing climate-focused candidates, including Strickler’s analysis of messaging and electoral effectiveness.^[20]