Democrats Oust One of Their Last Remaining Pro-Life Lawmakers
Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski, one of the few remaining pro-life Democratic lawmakers, lost to primary challenger Marie Newman on Tuesday night.
Lipinski’s defeat came despite a five-figure campaign of support from the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List.
I’ve seen enough: progressive Marie Newman (D) defeats pro-life, eight-term Rep. Dan Lipinski (D) in #IL03.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) March 18, 2020
“Congressman Lipinski isn’t just a pro-life vote, he continues to speak out in defense of the unborn and their mothers in the face of his party’s radical pro-abortion leadership,” Mallory Quigley, who represents SBA’s Women Speak Out PAC, said in a statement before the primary.
“Congressman Lipinski has been a champion of commonsense, compassionate, and popular legislation to stop taxpayer funding of abortion, to end late-term abortion, and to protect babies born-alive after failed abortions,” she added.
“The current Democratic leadership may say there is no room for voices like Dan’s in their party, but we need him now more than ever.”
Meanwhile, Newman’s campaign took in $1.5 million from outside groups, including abortion giants Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY’s List, The Washington Free Beacon reported. She also was endorsed by far-left Democrats such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced her first endorsement of a primary challenger to a Democratic House incumbent: Marie Newman, who is running against conservative-leaning Rep. Dan Lipinski in Illinois. https://t.co/HcMu1iOTPg
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) September 17, 2019
Lipinski’s loss comes as Democratic candidates repeatedly disavow pro-life voters from their party.
Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said as recently as early February that being a Democrat means being pro-choice.
“I think in the Senate’s, probably 95 percent of the Democrats are pro-choice, the other few are not — in the House, maybe even a higher percentage,” he said.
“So that’s kind of what my view is. I think by this time in history, I think when we talk about what a Democrat is, I think being pro-choice is an essential part of that.”
Sanders’ words came after pro-life Democrat Kristin Day questioned then-presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Democratic inclusion of pro-life Democrats during a Jan. 26 town hall with Fox’s Chris Wallace.
“I’m a proud pro-life Democrat,” she said. “Do you want the support of pro-life Democratic voters?
“There are 21 million of us. And if so, would you support more moderate platform language to ensure the party of diversity and inclusion does include everybody?”
Buttigieg said that though he respects her views, he is not going to try to earn her vote “by tricking” her.
“I am pro-choice,” he said. “I believe a woman ought to be able to make that decision.”
Day protested that Buttigieg did not address her question and pointed out that the Democratic platform “contains language that says we don’t belong.”
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