In the day after a banner election year for pro-life advocates and the Republican Party, which took over the House from pro-abortion Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her allies, GOP lawmakers appear likely to select pro-life advocates as their leaders.
John Boenher, the Ohio congressman who was the Republican leader during Pelosi’s reign and who led the efforts against the pro-abortion ObamaCare bill, will likely become the next Speaker. He has been effusively praised by key pro-life leaders from groups like National Right to Life and Americans United for Life for his heartfelt pro-life views.
Boehner will likely be voted speaker by his party when Congress returns on November 15 and he will quickly use the position as a means of countering the pro-abortion agenda of President Barack Obama.
“We hope President Obama will now respect the will of the people, change course, and commit to making the changes they are demanding,” Boehner said. “To the extent he is willing to do this, we are ready to work with him.”
His top lieutenant has been pro-life Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, who also maintains a sterling pro-life voting record, and he will likely move up the ladder to become the House Majority Leader, replacing pro-abortion Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
The first change to top leadership structure wil come in the number three position, currently held by pro-life Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana. Pence announced today he will step down from any party leadership post as local Indianapolis media outlets indicate it appears he will run for governor.
That means the number three and four positions — majority whip and conference chairman — are likely to become the subject of races within the GOP caucus, but it appears many of the candidates seeking those important policy-guiding spots are pro-life.
Among the candidates for both jobs are pro-life National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions of Texas, pro-life Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy of California, pro-life Conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, and Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Minnesota pro-life advocate with a national reputation.
McCarthy, who helped recruit candidates for the House and crafted the pro-life Pledge to America calling for no taxpayer funding of abortions and a repeal of ObamaCare, has already said he would run for the majority whip post and Sessions has expressed interest as well.
Bachmann indicated today she would be running for the number conference chairman position in the House when Republicans choose their leaders later this month.
On her Facebook page Bachmann wrote, “I am pleased to announce that I am running for Chairman of the House Republican Conference! Constitutional Conservatives deserve a loud and clear voice in leadership!”
Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling, a pro-life advocate who is the former chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, is considering running for Pence’s position as well, which becomes the number four spot under a majority.
Hensarling has been endorsed by Cantor but having Bachmann serve as conference chair would send overtures to women voters and signal to more strogly pro-life conservatives that Republicans heard their election message.
McMorris Rogers, the vice chair of the Republican conference, is said to be considering staying in her post, which becomes the number five position.
Looking at some of the key committees in Congress, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who is pro-life and well-respected by GOP members, will likely become the chairman of the Budget Committee while pro-life Republican Lamar Smith of Texas is expected to become the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
The battle for the helm of the Appropriations Committee could become a fight between Jerry Lewis of California, the current ranking member, and Hal Rogers of Kentucky, a pro-life advocate.
On the Senate side, no changes are expected in the top leadership posts, where pro-life Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is the Minority Leader and pro-life Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona is the Minority Whip.
