As National Right to Life has explained in elaborate detail, the next president will nominate a successor for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and probably have the opportunity to nominate successors to at least two more justices. The United States Senate will confirm or block these nominees. Pro-lifers across the nation must remain focused on maintaining enough votes to confirm pro-life justices.
The next Senate will also decide whether to advance pro-life legislation, such as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act.
So, yes, elections matter. Your vote matters.
Remember, even if you don’t live in one of the key states we will be looking at, you may have family or friends (or friends of friends – that’s how social media works!) in these states. So please direct your contacts to www.nrlpac.org early and often for voting information.
Given the level of misinformation, some things bear repeating to anyone you discuss elections, voting, or the pro-life cause with.
Many people who share your views on abortion may not have taken the time to learn where the candidates stand on our issues, and have only briefly heard about what pro-abortion organizations are undertaking to elect their preferred candidates. Planned Parenthood is the national largest abortion provider. Its political arms and EMILY’s List, the extreme pro-abortion PAC that only works for Democrat women who support abortion for any reason, are spending many tens of millions of dollars.
If you’re sharing pro-life information on FaceBook or Twitter and mention “Planned Parenthood” clarify that they are “the nation’s largest abortion provider.” And whenever you mention the name EMILY’s List, you should follow it with “the extreme pro-abortion PAC.”
OVERVIEW
This year, there are 34 U.S. Senate seats up for election: 10 Democrat seats and 24 Republican. All of the Democrats up for re-election are pro-abortion. According to Cook Political Report, only one Democrat seat is currently rated a “toss-up.”
Sadly, 6 Republican seats are listed as “toss-ups,” while two more are leaning toward the Democrats! Democrats need a net gain of five seats to regain control of the Senate, or four if they win the White House. If they hold their one toss-up seat, win the two Republican seats currently rated “lean Democrat” and pick up two or three Republican toss-ups, pro-lifers will be hard-pressed to block pro-abortion policies, much less advance any pro-life legislation.
Keep up with the latest pro-life news and information on Twitter. Follow @LifeNewsHQ
So, yes, elections matter. Your vote matters.
NRLC’s MOST WATCHED RACES
Among the toss-ups, there is one (only one) bright spot. In Nevada, the retirement of Harry Reid (D), the leader of the Senate Democrats, creates a chance for pro-lifers to pick up a seat. Pro-life Congressman Joe Heck (R) will face pro-abortion former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) for this Senate seat.
Congressman Heck voted for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and he voted for the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act. In contrast, Cortez Masto is supported by NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY’s List. She supports abortion on demand, and using your tax dollars to pay for abortions.
One seat currently held by a pro-life Republican is now rated “leans Democrat.” In Wisconsin, pro-life Senator Ron Johnson (R) faces pro-abortion former Senator Russ Feingold (D). Senator Johnson has a strong pro-life voting record. In contrast, Feingold supports the current policy of abortion on demand, and voted against the partial-birth abortion ban every chance he got. Feingold is also endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading abortion provider. (See how I worked that in? I won’t do it every time in this article, but put it in when sharing a new FaceBook post or Tweet.)
Pro-life Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) faces a tough re-election campaign against pro-abortion Rep. Patrick Murphy (D). Senator Rubio has voted prolife on every occasion. Murphy is a pro-abortion extremist who even voted against the bill to require care for babies who are born alive during an abortion. He voted against protecting babies capable of feeling pain from abortion, and co-sponsored a measure to invalidate nearly every state and federal limitation on abortion.
In New Hampshire, pro-life Senator Kelly Ayotte (R), who has a strong pro-life voting record, faces a tough challenge from pro-abortion Governor Maggie Hassan (D), who is supported by the radical pro-abortion group, EMILY’S List. Hassan supports using your tax dollars to pay for abortion, and as a state senator even opposed notifying parents before an abortion is done on their minor daughter.
In Pennsylvania, pro-life Senator Pat Toomey (R) faces a challenge by Katie McGinty (D), a pro-abortion candidate supported by EMILY’s List. McGinty opposes efforts to ban the brutal dismemberment abortion method.
In North Carolina, pro-life Senator Richard Burr (R) faces a challenge by former Assemblywoman Deborah Ross (D), a candidate supported by EMILY’s List. In the State legislature, Ross supported using tax funding for abortions, and when she was Executive Director of the ACLU’s North Carolina chapter, Ross even tried to take away a parent’s right to prevent an abortion from being done on their minor daughter.
Pro-life Congressman Todd Young (R) will face former Senator Evan Bayh (D) for Indiana’s open Senate seat. Todd Young has a strong pro-life voting record, but Evan Bayh, has voted to endorse Roe v. Wade, the radical Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion on demand.
In Missouri, Senator Roy Blunt (R), a pro-life leader in the U.S. Senate with a strong pro-life voting record, faces a challenge from pro-abortion Secretary of State Jason Kander (D), who had an extreme pro-abortion voting record in the Missouri House of Representatives. He even voted against preventing abortions on babies who can feel pain (Missouri’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act).
Among races where the re-election of a pro-life Republican is rated safer but by no means certain, Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D), another pro-abortion candidate supported by EMILY’s List, is challenging pro-life Senator John McCain (R) in Arizona. Senator McCain’s pro-life record contrasts greatly with Kirkpatrick’s. She voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and supports a bill that would invalidate nearly every state and federal limitation on abortion.
In Ohio, pro-life Senator Rob Portman (R) faces a challenge from pro-abortion Ted Strickland (D), a former member of the U.S. House and a former governor. Portman has a strong pro-life voting record, while Strickland had a pro-abortion voting record in Congress, voting against the pro-life position nearly 80% of the time in a 10-year span. Strickland has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, and supports the use of tax dollars for abortion.
And finally, in Iowa, pro-life Senator Chuck Grassley (R), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, faces a challenge by pro-abortion former Lt. Governor Patty Judge (D). Senator Grassley has a strong pro-life voting record, while EMILY’s List and Planned Parenthood support Patty Judge. She would like to overturn the Hyde Amendment and force taxpayers to fund abortions.
Among the new pro-life challengers running for the U.S. Senate this year is pro-life El Paso County Commissioner Darryl Glenn (R) who is challenging pro-abortion Colorado Senator Michael Bennet (D). Michael Bennet voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, for taxpayer funding of abortions, and has been awarded a strong pro-abortion lifetime rating by Planned Parenthood.
With so many tight races, pro-lifers have their work cut out for them. Look for updates in future National Right to Life News and NRL News Today.
Remember, elections matter. Your vote matters.
