Pro-Life Advocates Capture House of Representatives, Topple Pro-Abortion Pelosi

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Nov 3, 2010   |   10:42AM   |   Washington, DC

Abortion advocates will no longer control the House of Representatives as pro-life candidates won nationwide and Republican gained far more than the 40 seats needed to win.

Republicans won 20 additional races above and beyond the amount needed to become the majority party in the chamber and wrest control from pro-abortion Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

They will take over the House of Representatives in January with their largest majority since the 1940s. When they ran the House from 1995 to 2007, GOP lawmakers never had more than 231 seats and, after Tuesday, they will have at least 240 seats — most of them pro-life.

The last time they held as many seats was the 80th Congress of 1947 to 1949, when they controlled 246 seats.

In leadership elections expected down the road, most political observers believe pro-life Republican Leader John Boehner will become the next Speaker of the House and pro-life lawmakers will also likely win other top leadership positions to be able to set the agenda on abortion and bioethics issues.

“I’ve spent my whole life chasing the American Dream,” a joyfully tearful Boehner told supporters Tuesday night. “When I saw how out-of-touch Washington had become with the core values of this great nation, I put my name forward and ran for office.”

House Republicans are expected to make an attempt to repeal the abortion-funding ObamaCare law and to consider measures to weaken or defund it knowing President Barack Obama won’t sign repeal legislation.

They are also expected to approve a new bill that would stop taxpayer funding of abortion at all levels of the federal government — forcing Democrats in the Senate and Obama to decide whether they want to contravene the will of the American people further, as every poll shows most Americans oppose tax-funded abortions.

Pelosi won her bid for re-election to a 12th consecutive term Tuesday night in her liberal San Francisco district, but she will have to hand over the reins of the House. In comments following the result tallies, she appeared to not understand the implications of election night.

“The outcome of the election does not diminish the work we have done for the American people,” Pelosi said in a statement after Republicans won control.

But Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America told LifeNews.com the results were a clear reaction to the pro-abortion health care bill Pelosi moved through the House.

“The American people have overwhelmingly voted for Life and against the taxpayer-funded abortion agenda in Washington,” she said. “Voters sent a clear message to the Obama Administration to not only listen to the pro-life will of the people, but to stop the corruption and arrogance in our nation’s capital.”

“I look forward to working with the incoming pro-life Congressmen and Congresswomen to create and promote a culture of Life in our country,” she added.

Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life, told LifeNews.com the election results provided a huge boost for the pro-life movement.

“Last night was a great night for the pro-life movement. New pro-life Governors, Representatives, Senators, and state legislators across the nation have won victories,” he said. “I am grateful to the Vote Pro-life Coalition and to all who worked so hard to inform their fellow citizens and get them to the polls.”

He said now is the time to begin contacting elected officials and urging them to move pro-life legislation forward.

“Now let’s communicate with and encourage our newly-elected officials, and work with them on the specific initiatives that will need our help,” he said.