Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern speaks against a plan to expand the Mount Sunapee ski area Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in Concord, N.H. The vote was 3-1, with Van Ostern, a Democrat, voting against the proposal Wednesday. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern speaks against a plan to expand the Mount Sunapee ski area Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in Concord, N.H. The vote was 3-1, with Van Ostern, a Democrat, voting against the proposal Wednesday. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) Credit: Jim Cole

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Colin Van Ostern netted the endorsement of the Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund PAC on Tuesday.

While Planned Parenthood officials commended all three Democratic gubernatorial candidates for their commitment to women’s health issues, they said Van Ostern stood out as a “tested and unwavering champion” for the organization.

Van Ostern has made Planned Parenthood and women’s health issues a pivotal focus of his political career; he cited the 2011 New Hampshire Executive Council vote to defund the organization as one of the reasons he ran for a seat on the council in 2012 and he has continued to hammer the issue in this year’s governor’s race.

Planned Parenthood has not always endorsed candidates during primaries, but New Hampshire Planned Parenthood Action Fund chair Jennifer Frizzell said the state group was following the lead of its national counterpart, which endorsed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary for president earlier this year.

“It’s a little bit a sign of the times and a little bit of a reflection of our political evolution as an action fund and a PAC,” Frizzell said.