The pro-life women’s group Susan B. Anthony List today announced its first round of endorsements for congressional and statewide candidates for the 2012 election season.
The first set of announcements include Pennsylvania State Auditor candidate Ann Duke, and congressional candidates Bette Grande of North Dakota, Steve King of Iowa, Ann Wagner of Missouri, and Jackie Walorski of Indiana.
“The Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund is excited about our first round of candidate endorsements for the 2012 elections,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “These women and men have a history of standing up for women and the unborn and standing up to abortion giant Planned Parenthood.”
“The shift last election cycle in numbers from pro-abortion to pro-life women was historic and no accident. The corrective moment for the women’s movement must continue next year, and we will be working to ensure that it does,” Dannenfelser said.
During the 2010 election cycle, SBA List spent $11 million and was involved in 90 races, 62 of which resulted in victories. Successes included: defeating 15 of 20 so-called “pro-life” Democrats who voted for abortion funding in the health care reform bill, increasing the number of pro-life women in the House by 70 percent, filling the void of pro-life women in the U.S. Senate, and increasing the number of pro-life women governors from one to four.
Duke is the former Councilwoman of West Chester Borough and Treasurer of Chester County, Pennsylvania. She has worked with Congressman Joe Pitts’ campaign as well as for conservative leader Colin Hanna, and is committed to using the office of Auditor General to ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions. As auditor, she will have the unique opportunity to open Planned Parenthood’s books and is the first candidate for auditor endorsed by SBA List.
“The Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund is proud to endorse Ann Duke for State Auditor. She is committed to keeping taxpayer dollars from funding abortions and has the unique opportunity as State Auditor to keep taxpayers out of the abortion business,” SBA said.
SBA provided commentary about each of the candidates:
Steve King: “The contrast between Congressman Steve King and Christie Vilsack is clear. Steve King will represent women’s real views and needs on the issue of abortion far better than his female opponent who has been endorsed by EMILY’s List for her proud history of actively supporting ‘re-productive choice.’ This is not the leadership Iowa wants or needs. We are proud to support Rep. Steve King as the better candidate for women and unborn children in Iowa.”
Bette Grande: “Planned Parenthood already has its eyes locked on Bette Grande after the extensive list of pro-life legislation she championed in the North Dakota House of Representatives. As Chairman of the Pro-Life Caucus she spearheaded legislation including the Abortion Control Act of 2011 to strengthen an existing law to ensure no state agencies promote or refer for abortions.”
Ann Wagner: “The Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund is proud to endorse Ann Wagner for Congress. She provides the ideal contrast to Representative Russ Carnahan. His record of support for taxpayer funded abortion on demand earned him a 100 percent rating with both NARAL and Planned Parenthood. Ann Wagner is the type of leader women need in Washington – a tireless voice for women and unborn children.”
Jackie Walorski: “State Representative Jackie Walorski has been a consist supporter of Life. In her role as a state legislator, she fought to defund Planned Parenthood and to add unborn children to the list of protected classes in the hate crimes bill. Jackie is exactly the type of woman we need in the House to advocate for solid pro-life legislation.”
The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of more than 330,000 Americans dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its candidate fund supports pro-life women candidates for congress and statewide offices and men who face challenges from pro-abortion women candidates.
