For decades, the pro-abortion movement and their allies in the media have tried to diminish the voices of pro-life women. While pro-life women were running for office, leading pro-life organizations, establishing pregnancy care centers, sharing their experiences after abortion, organizing marches, lobbying lawmakers, and more, pro-abortion forces minimized their accomplishments and characterized the entire pro-life movement as “just old white men.”
In 2020, that false narrative is going to be a lot harder to push.
A record number of pro-life women are running for office in 2020. In the important battle for the Senate majority, there are 6 pro-life women running: Sen. Martha McSally in Arizona, Sen. Kelly Loeffler in Georgia, Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito in West Virginia, and former Rep. Cynthia Lummis in Wyoming.
A brief overview of each of the competitive Senate races can be found here: https://www.nationalrighttolifenews.org/2020/08/battle-for-the-u-s-senate-2020-competitive-races/
A record 55 Republican women, the vast majority of whom are pro-life, have won House primaries this year according to the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers.
The full list of endorsed candidates by National Right to Life may be found here: https://www.nrlvictoryfund.org/endorsements/
Some standout races include the following:
Arizona’s 1st District
Pro-life candidate Tiffany Shedd is taking on pro-abortion incumbent Rep. Tom O’Halleran in one of the nation’s most competitive districts. President Trump came out victorious by just one percentage point here in 2016. O’Halleran supports a policy of abortion on demand and has a dismal 0% voting record with National Right to Life. The large sums of money being spent by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and pro-abortion groups tell us that this is very much in play! Unlike O’Halleran, who is supported by the nation’s largest abortion provider, Shedd is committed to standing up for life.
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California’s 39th District
Pro-life Young Kim, a former member of the California State Assembly, is seeking a rematch from 2018 against pro-abortion Rep. Gil Cisneros. If elected, Kim could become one of the first Korean Americans elected to Congress. (She could share the distinction with fellow pro-life candidate Michelle Steel who is running in California’s 48th district.) While this Orange County district was carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016, Kim came up just short in 2018, losing by about 6,000 votes once mail-in ballots were counted. Her opponent, Rep. Gil Cisneros, voted lockstep with the abortion industry and they are backing him for re-election.
California’s 48th District
Pro-life Michelle Steel, a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, is challenging pro-abortion incumbent Rep. Harry Rouda. In his first term, Rouda had a 0% voting record with National Right to Life. He has vocalized his support for repeal of the life-saving Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer dollars from funding abortion. Speaker Pelosi recently announced that the repeal of the Hyde Amendment would be a priority in 2021—one more reason why Rouda should not be sent back to Washington. Unlike Rouda, Steel opposes taxpayer funding of abortion and supports legislation to protect unborn children and their mothers.
Georgia’s 6th District
A prime pro-life pickup opportunity, former Congresswoman Karen Handel is seeking a rematch with pro-abortion Rep. Lucy McBath. Handel narrowly lost in 2018 by fewer than 4,000 votes. Pro-lifers may remember that Handel was at the center of the controversy over the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, when she tried to sever ties between the organizations. Handel brought her passion for life to Congress when she represented the district prior to McBath. In contrast, McBath is backed by pro-abortion groups that support abortion any time, anywhere and for any reason.
Iowa’s 2nd District
Pro-life state Senator Mariannette Miller-Meeks is facing fellow state Senator Rita Hart in an open seat in a district that President Trump won in 2016. With backgrounds in military service and the medical field, Miller-Meeks is uniquely qualified to stand up for unborn children and their mothers in the U.S. House. Rita Hart supports a policy of abortion on demand, which would allow abortion for reason. She is backed by pro-abortion groups such as EMILY’s List and Planned Parenthood that support abortion any time, anywhere and for any reason.
Kansas’s 3rd District
Pro-life Amanda Adkins, the former chair of the Kansas Republican Party, is giving pro-abortion incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids a run for her money in a district that Hillary Clinton narrowly carried in 2016. Davids has a 0% voting record with National Right to Life, even voting against providing medical care to babies who survive abortion. Prior to Davids’ victory in 2018, a generally successful year for Democrats, this was a Republican seat.
Minnesota’s 7th District
Former Lieutenant Governor and state Senator Michelle Fischbach is challenging longtime Congressman Collin Peterson in a district that President Trump won 62% to 31% over Hillary Clinton. While Peterson has a mixed record on abortion, Fischbach will deliver 100% pro-life leadership. She was an unwavering champion for unborn children and their mothers in her time serving in the Minnesota Senate.
New Mexico’s 2nd District
Rated a pure tossup, pro-life former State Representative Yvette Herrell is running against incumbent Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, a rematch from 2018. Two years ago, the outcome was decided by a single percentage point. In her term, Torres Small earned a 0% voting record with National Right to Life. Consequently, she is backed by pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood, NARAL and EMILY’s List. In contrast, Yvette Herrell is pro-life and opposes abortion on demand and taxpayer funding of abortion. President Trump won this district by 10 points in 2016, giving Herrell significant headwinds going into 2020.
New York’s 22nd District
Pro-life former Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is taking on Rep. Anthony Brindisi in another rematch from 2018. Tenney earned a 100% pro-life voting record from National Right to Life during her time in Congress. In contrast, Brindisi has a 0% record, even voting against providing medical care to babies who survive abortion. Brindisi narrowly won the seat by about 4,500 votes. In 2016, President Trump carried this district 55% to 39% over Hillary Clinton. The president’s presence on the ballot should be an important boost in the race for Tenney.
Oklahoma’s 5th District
Pro-abortion incumbent Rep. Kendra Horn won the seat in one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 cycle. State Senator Stephanie Bice emerged victorious from the Republican primary runoff and provides a significant pro-life contrast to Horn, who has a 0% voting record with National Right to Life. Horn is backed by pro-abortion groups such as EMILY’s List and Planned Parenthood that support abortion any time, anywhere and for any reason. While serving in the Oklahoma State Senate, Sen. Bice supported numerous pro-life proposals to protect unborn children and their mothers. President Trump won this district by 13 points over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
South Carolina’s 1st District
Pro-life State Representative Nancy Mace is challenging pro-abortion incumbent Rep. Joe Cunningham for the seat he narrowly won in 2018 by about 4,000 votes. Cunningham has a 0% voting record with National Right to Life. His pro-abortion position is out of step with the district, which President Trump won by 14 points in 2016.
Rep. Mace has the distinction of being the first woman to graduate from the Corps of Cadets portion of The Citadel. As a state representative, Mace co-sponsored and voted for legislation to protect unborn children from dismemberment abortions and to prevent tax dollars from going to abortion providers.
In addition to the races considered competitive or tossups, there are a number of new pro-life women running in what are considered safe or likely seats. Some of these are Kat Cammack in Florida’s 3rd District, Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia’s 14th District, Lisa McClain in Michigan’s 10th District, and Diana Harshbarger in Tennessee’s 1st District. Each of these pro-life women is strongly favored in a race for a seat that is open due to the retirement of a pro-life incumbent.
This is just a snapshot of some of the races happening across the country. There are many more strong, pro-life women taking on the abortion industry’s candidates. You can keep up to date with all of National Right to Life’s endorsements in your state by checking out https://www.nrlvictoryfund.org/endorsements.
LifeNews Note: Karen Cross is the political director for the National Right to Life Committee.
