The pro-life electoral victories show wide appeal across America
The convoluted 2020 election did make one thing clear: pro-life issues are winning in America. Pro-life candidates have outperformed their pro-abortion opponents in several battleground states, and pro-life women in particular garnered a significant amount of support from voters in the 2020 elections.
In Montana, former Democratic Governor Steve Bullock, ran against current Sen. Steve Daines, who is the Chairman of the Senate Pro-life Caucus. As governor, Bullock had vetoed pro-life laws to restrict abortion past the point the unborn child can feel pain and to protect infants that survive failed abortions, Sen. Daines won re-election by over 60,000 votes. Even more telling is that the people of Montana elected former U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), another pro-life champion, to replace Bullock as Governor.
Other pro-life senators overperformed expectations. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has been a pro-life champion as Senate Majority Leader, won his race by nearly 20 percentage points. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has led on pro-life legislation, handily defeated his opponent despite claims that his race was supposed to be close. Pro-life Iowa Senator Joni Ernst easily won her race despite various pundits claiming she was vulnerable.
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Pro-life incumbents in the House of Representatives also did well in fending off strong pro-abortion challengers in tightly contested suburban districts. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), won her race by 7 percentage points, despite being named as a top Democratic target. She had led the charge to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act up for a vote in the House as a response to the radically pro-abortion legislation passed in New York. Additionally, Representatives Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), and Scott Perry (R-Penn.), all consistent pro-life leaders, won their races by wide margins. Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas), who is a champion on life and other issues, defeated high profile abortion activist and former state Senator Wendy Davis in a suburban district between Austin and San Antonio.
With these pro-life gains in the House, it will likely be possible to obtain more signatures on the discharge petition, which will force House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to hold a vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act – which she has so far refused to do.
There is also a new record of pro-life women elected to Congress. With all 11 incumbent pro-life women winning their races and 15 new pro-life women elected, that surpasses the record of 25 pro-life women set in 2004. With an average age of about 47 years old, this new group of young Republican women will stand as a stark contrast to the group of radically pro-abortion female members of Congress that just this year attempted to repeal the Hyde amendment and allow millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to pay for elective abortions.
These pro-life victories also happened down ballot in state legislative races. Pro-abortion campaigns and PACs poured millions of dollars into this election to flip party control of state legislatures, but the results only amounted to even more pro-life gains. Party control in key battle ground states like Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas were all up for grabs, and, after the final results are tabulated, it looks likely that there will be pro-life majorities in all four of these state houses. Even more surprising is that it appears likely that both the House and Senate in New Hampshire look likely to flip to Republican control, creating a Republican trifecta in New Hampshire lead by re-elected Governor Chris Sununu.
A pro-life ballot initiative also who won last week. In Louisiana, voters passed a pro-life constitutional amendment saying there is no right to abortion or abortion funding under the state constitution. The ballot measure passed with 62.1 percent support from voters and was also supported by Louisiana State Senator Katrina Jackson, a vocally pro-life female Democrat.
The overwhelming support for this measure proves that the people of Louisiana are taking a stand for life, and it looks like the rest of the country is too. Regardless of who wins the presidency, the pro-life issue remains at the forefront of Americans’ minds and the movement on behalf of the unborn is stronger than ever.
As we head into the new Congress, we can at least celebrate the pro-life gains in the House – with more races outstanding that may result in even more pro-life gains.
Connor Semelsberger is Legislative Assistant at Family Research Council. Ruth Moreno is a Policy and Government Affairs Intern focusing on Pro-life issues at Family Research Council.
