(Updated 2:36 p.m.) A national pro-choice organization announced last week that it will target women voters in the 5th Congressional District by taking aim at Chris Donovan.

Emily’s List, the national organization that has thrown its support behind former Democratic state Rep. Elizabeth Esty, will send more than 26,000 primary voters eight pieces of mail. Five of those mailers will highlight “Chris Donovan’s record on taxes and raising his own pay,” and three will showcase Esty’s decision to return 10 percent of her legislative salary and work “toward responsible budgeting in the state legislature.”

“Donovan’s 20 year record for Connecticut speaks for itself: exorbitant pay raises and the biggest tax hike in Connecticut history. Middle class families are paying the price,” Denise Feriozzi, director of the group’s WOMEN VOTE! initiative said in a press release. “Elizabeth Esty returned taxpayer money and is committed to responsible budgeting.”

The group said that it is not referring to the 2009 budget in its mailings, but the 2011 budget which included the second largest tax increase in the state’s history and reduced the property tax credit for those earning under $100,000 a year.

However, Donovan and his campaign are not running away from his progressive credentials.

“It is shocking that Elizabeth Esty’s DC allies would resort to such misleading mailings to distract from former Rep. Esty’s willingness to slash health care for kids, seniors, and the poor, and cut education — including schools in her own district! — all to keep taxes low for millionaires,” Gabe Rosenberg, Donovan’s spokesman, said.

Esty served in the state legislature in 2008 and 2009 and voted against the Democratic budget in 2009. Esty supported an alternative budget, which increased income taxes on couples earning $250,000 to $500,000 per year, but was $631 million out of balance according to the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

“Instead of supporting the Republican-like budget of former Rep. Esty, Chris fought to protect the programs that matter to Connecticut’s middle class families by asking millionaires to pay their fair share. Those are the Democratic values that Chris has always fought for and will never back away from in Congress,” he added referring to the 2009 budget.

Donovan, Esty, and Dan Roberti of Kent will be vying for the Democratic nomination on Aug. 14. The seat is being vacated U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, who is running for the U.S. Senate.