The Heritage Foundation produced an ad sharply criticizing a small group of Republican senators for attacking Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s, R-AL, campaign against abortion in the military.
The ad ran during a Wednesday episode of the popular conservative Ruthless Podcast and is one minute and 11 seconds in length.
“I do not respect men who do not honor their word,” said Sen. Joni Ernst, R-IA, in a clip played at the ad’s beginning. Ernst is one of the Republican senators most vocally opposed to Tuberville’s efforts.
“Those words from the Senate floor weren’t an attack across the aisle,” stated Heritage Vice President of Government Relations Eric Teetsel in the ad. “It was Senate Republicans Joni Ernst and Dan Sullivan attacking fellow Republican Tommy Tuberville.”
“Why?” Teetsel asked.
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📥 @playbookdc: “Heritage is running an ad during today’s @RuthlessPodcast blasting Senate Republicans for criticizing Sen. TUBERVILLE’s holds on Pentagon nominations.”
Coach remains steadfast in his promise to protect life. @Heritage will continue to stand with @SenTuberville. pic.twitter.com/NAwVsciUcH
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) November 8, 2023
“Abortion,” he said. “And specifically Sen. Tuberville’s heroic fight against a Biden administration order in the days following the Dobbs decision to ignore the law and turn the Department of Defense into one giant abortion machine.”
Teetsel explained Tuberville’s months-long hold on military nominees in protest against the Pentagon’s policy of using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions in the armed forces:
Tuberville told Biden if he did that, he would force the Senate to follow its own rules and vote to confirm military promotions. [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer [D-NY] called his bluff, but Tuberville kept his word.
Now his own colleagues are turning on him. Even those who profess to be pro-life.
Heritage showed pictures of the five Republican senators that have in the past week unsuccessfully tried to end Tuberville’s holds. The group included Ernst, Sullivan, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-UT, and Sen. Todd Young, R-IN.
On her website, Ernst names “protecting life” as one of her “priorities.” Sullivan has described himself as a “pro-life Catholic.”
“Like so many pro-life Americans, I’m tired of Republican politicians who tell me they’re going to fight for my values on the campaign trail, and then go to Washington and do just the opposite,” Teetsel said at the end of the ad.
“Why would Senate Republicans fight against one of their own, especially on something as fundamental as the fight to defend the unborn?” Teetsel previously wrote in a Monday op-ed published in World magazine.
“Despite their espoused principles and campaign promises, life is simply not the top priority of many elected Republicans,” he emphasized. “At least, not like it is for their voters.”
“Coach remains steadfast in his promise to protect life,” Heritage President Kevin Roberts posted on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday afternoon. “[Heritage] will continue to stand with [Tuberville].”
Prior to his entry into politics, Tuberville was the head football coach at Auburn University. He held the position from 1999 until 2008, leading the team to the SEC Championship in 2004.
The senator has consistently debunked claims that his holds “affect military readiness” and has affirmed that he will continue them until the Pentagon’s policy is revoked.
LifeNews Note: Joshua Mercer writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
