The Big Question
Both new and seasoned political candidates alike hesitate to come out and say they’re unapologetically against the killing of babies at all stages of development. Instead, they often choose murky, nominally pro-life positions. Rather than playing offense on behalf of children and mothers, they end up debating how far into pregnancy abortion should be tolerated.[i]
Whether politicians wrongly believe the Dobbs decision means the problem of abortion is over, or they believe a weak stance on life will benefit them at the ballot box,[ii] “pro-life” politicians are struggling with their level of commitment to mothers and their babies.[iii]
Playing “hot potato” with abortion is a game no one wins. In fact, it’s a game that costs lives. This weak stance is deadly for the preborn humans on the receiving end of political cowardice. And it doesn’t benefit the politician, either.[iv]
Pro-life politicians are distracted by the abortion lobby’s arguments and fearmongering, forgetting that American voters largely support expanding care and resources for pregnant mothers in need. For instance, in ten Americans support or strongly support pregnancy centers,[v] and even the majority of Democrats are in favor of public funding of pregnancy centers.[vi] Women throughout the U.S. overwhelmingly support improving maternity leave.[vii] By uniting around a hopeful and compassionate vision for pregnant women in America, candidates can WIN. They can win political support and, more importantly, they can win lives.
Here are three reasons why being pro-life is a winning political position:
Reason #1: American voters prefer their candidates to “pick a side.”[viii]
The American voter does not respond favorably to lukewarm attitudes on life. Even voters who aren’t die-hard pro-lifers don’t respect a politician flip-flopping on anything, [ix] especially not an issue as black-and-white as killing babies in their mothers’ wombs.[x]
In the 2004 presidential election between George W. Bush and John Kerry, many criticized Kerry for flip-flopping on his opinions and votes on several issues, including funding the war in Iraq. His wavering leading up to the election was highly scrutinized and is still a common example of the distrust voters have in politicians who flip-flop on their positions. Kerry lost that election.[xi]
Taking a firm pro-life stance is also the politically advantageous course of action — not only because political flip-flopping is unpopular among the American public,[xii] but also because there is a strong and large pro-life voting bloc. [xiii]
Reason #2: Americans Are More Pro-Life Than You Might Think
America is much more opposed to killing children through abortion than many believe. Only a third of Americans believe abortion should be legal under any circumstance. Even fewer Americans think it’s morally acceptable.[xiv]
Of white evangelical Protestants, who make up 30% of the traditional GOP voting bloc[xv], three in four believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.[xvi] Additionally, seven in 10 Americans believe that abortion should be limited and six in 10 Americans say taxpayer dollars should not be funding it.[xvii]
Importantly, many of America’s young voters are also showing up in defense of innocent human life. The former President of NARAL Pro-Choice America told Newsweek of her impression of the annual March for Life in Washington, DC. She said, “I just thought, my gosh, they are so young. There are so many of them, and they are so young.”[xviii]
Reason #3: It’s the Right Thing to Do
We all, as fellow human beings, owe it to children in the womb to protect them from legalized violence. They are the most defenseless members of our community, and sometimes an advocate like you is the only one speaking on their behalf.
But elected officials have an additional responsibility to the preborn. They take an oath upon entering public service in which they swear to serve the people they represent. And no one is more vulnerable than a defenseless baby in their mother’s womb. Politicians are also specially tasked with protecting the rights of the people, with a primary right outlined in our Declaration of Independence being the right to LIFE.
Yet many politicians use their authority to either actively facilitate legalized attacks on the preborn child[xix] or stand by silently and do little or nothing as the lives of their smallest constituents are snuffed out and mothers are relegated to despair.
While the political advantage of a solid pro-life stance is real, the most important WIN a pro-life politician will ever have is using his or her authority and influence to rescue children from death and restore mothers and families to wholeness.
[i] NBC News, “A timeline of Trump’s many, many positions on abortion” (April 2024)
[ii] NBC News, “Republicans are trying to find a new term for ‘pro-life’ to stave off more electoral losses” (September 2023)
[iii] Christianity Today, “Republican Party Backs Away from Pro-Life Stance in New Platform” (July 2024)
[iv] Townhall, “‘Pro-Life’ Candidates Running from Abortion Isn’t Just Cowardice, It’s Bad Politics” (August 2023)
[v] Americans’ Opinions on Abortion (Marist Poll, 2024)
[vi] Data for Progress, “Maternal Mortality” (2022)
[vii] Dennis Thompson, “American Women Need More Maternity Leave, Access to Pregnancy Care: Poll” (U.S. News, 2023).
[viii] Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance, “Flip-Flopping and Electoral Concerns” (March 2020)
[ix] The Diamondback, “Why do we hate political flip-flopping?”
[x] Townhall, “Pro-Life Candidates Running from Abortion Isn’t Just Cowardice, It’s Bad Politics” (August 2023)
[xi] CBS News, “Kerry’s Top Ten Flip-Flops” (September 2004)
[xii] Andrew Gooch, “When the public punishes politicians who ‘flip-flop’, criticism from the media may backfire” (November 2022).
[xiii] Statistica, “Would you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?”
[xiv] Tricia C. Bruce, PhD., How Americans Understand Abortion (University of Notre Dame: 2020) 11.
[xv] Pew Research, “Changing Partisan Coalitions in a Politically Divided Nation” (2024)
[xvi] Pew Research, “Views on Abortion by Religious Affiliation, 2024”
[xvii] Knights of Columbus, “New 2023 Knights of Columbus–Marist Poll: Post Roe, A Majority of Americans Continue to Support Legal Limits on Abortion” (January 2023)
[xviii] Newsweek, “Why Young Voters Are Lukewarm on Abortion Rights” (April 2010)
[xix] CBS News, “New York signs new law allowing abortions at any time if the mother’s health is at risk” (January 2019)
