RIGHT TO LIFE SEES GAINS IN THE STATES

By Mary S. Balch, J.D.,
NRLC State Legislative Director

The pro-life trend that swept America November 5, so easy to see at the national level, was equally evident at the state level. By electing a majority of pro-life legislators in many states, citizens have sent a clear message: more than ever pro-lifers are a force to be reckoned with.

Space permits discussing only a representative handful of states. But the common denominator is the defeat of many entrenched pro-abortionists and the elevation of pro-lifers eager to introduce commonsense, mainstream legislation.

In West Virginia, for example, pro-lifers overpowered their pro-abortion opponents in virtually every state Senate race. Remarkably, no pro-life incumbent lost to a pro-abortion challenger, while a number of pro-abortion incumbents lost to pro-life challengers.

Several outspoken pro-abortion legislators were defeated by pro-life candidates, including the ardently pro-abortion Senate Judiciary Chairman Bill Wooton (D). Wooton lost to Russ Weeks (R), a well-known local pro-life advocate and vice president of West Virginians for Life's Raleigh County chapter.

"None of us saw this train coming," House Majority Leader Rick Staton (D-Wyoming) admitted to the Gazette Mail. (Staton's county is in Wooton's senatorial district.)

Pro-life West Virginians were victorious in other big Senate races as well. Pro-life Republican challengers Steve Harrison and Jesse Guills defeated pro-abortion Democratic incumbents John Mitchell and Mary Pearl Compton, respectively, in the House of Delegates.

Cumulatively, 16 of the 17 senators elected to the state Senate November 5 are pro-life, leaving only 5 pro-abortionists out of 34 state senators. "It is clear that the issue of abortion weighed heavily in the hearts of the voters," said Melissa Adkins, West Virginians for Life legislative coordinator. "The defeat of Bill Wooton and several other pro-abortion legislators removed the biggest roadblocks to legally protecting unborn children in our state."

In Tennessee, there are now pro-life majorities in both houses. Pro-lifers enjoy a 22-11 advantage in the state Senate, having won every contested race November 5. In the state House, hard work boosted the advantage to 51 seats for pro-lifers to only 27 pro-abortion seats. (An additional 12 members have "mixed" voting records, but are said to lean "pro-life.")

Tennessee Right to Life is gearing up for a busy legislative year. "Our efforts to restore basic commonsense protections for women and unborn children will go forward," said Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life. "Tennesseans of both political persuasions spoke on Tuesday and the result is pro-life majorities in both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly."

Nebraska, as the nation's only unicameral legislature, has just one house--the Senate. Thanks to tireless work, pro-lifers witnessed a gain of four pro-life senators.

All four have expressed opposition to unethical research involving cloning, the use of embryonic stem cells which requires the deaths of human embryos, and research that uses fetal tissue taken from aborted babies, which has become a key issue in the legislature.

"This election sent a message to the University of Nebraska Medical Center--a major proponent of fetal tissue research--that the issue of fetal tissue research is not going away," said Julie Schmit-Albin, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life. "Pro-life forces have done very well and we will continue our fight more energized than ever."

In Minnesota, pro-lifers picked up five seats in the state Senate, 10 in the state House, and elected a pro-life governor, Tim Pawlenty (R). Pawlenty, the House Majority Leader, defeated one of the state's most influential pro-abortion politicians, state Senator Roger Moe (D), who gave up a safe seat to run for governor.

Pro-lifers in Minnesota are preparing for a busy legislative session. "Minnesota pro-life voters scored a huge pro-life victory. Voters gave our new pro-life governor a pro-life legislature and a clear pro-life mandate," said Marice Rosenberg, vice president of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL). "MCCL PAC was instrumental in electing these legislators and will lead the fight to pass protective legislation. This tidal wave for life should bring about a new and invigorated pro-life legislature and with it, new protective laws for women and their unborn babies," she said.

State Senator Michelle Fischbach, sponsor of Minnesota's "Woman's Right to Know" bill, told NRL News that she was excited about the possibilities. "Now that we have a pro-life legislature and a pro-life governor, we are going to pass pro-life legislation. It's a question of when, not if."