Consumer Federation of California

Thousands of California nurses and labor protesters, including the great-great-granddaughter of suffrage pioneer Elizabeth Cady-Stanton, will hit the state Capitol Thursday to protest GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman on the anniversary marking 90 years since women got the right to vote.

Whitman’s spotty voting record, of course, has been an issue in the gubernatorial campaign, and the candidate herself has called it "atrocious." But the California Nurses Association, the Courage Campaign and a host of labor groups intend to remind voters again, insisting they’ll deliver the largest and possibly most colorful anti-Whitman rally ever on the 90th anniversary of the day the 19th amendment was signed into law.

The CNA and the Courage Campaign even created a new web ad to commemorate the day and the protest. Check it out:

The 4 p.m. rally near the Capitol steps will include folks in period costumes, historical characters, newsboys and Elizabth Jenkins-Sahlin, the great great grandaughter of the women’s rights pionner Elizabeth Cady Stanton,says CNA spokesman Chuck Idelson.

Joining the CNA will be the California Teachers Association, California Professional Firefighters, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, California 9-5, National Association of Working Women, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Labor Federation, Equality California, Consumer Federation of California, California School Employees Association, and others.

UPDATE: Here’s an excerpt from the official response from Andrea Jones Rivera of the Whitman campaign:

"This is a ridiculous ad from a group of radical union bosses who have consistently misrepresented the views of their members and hardworking nurses throughout the state…how is this for union dues well spent: the CNA’s President, who is not a nurse, is paid five times more than the median salary of an American nurse, typical union excess."