In the aftermath of Ohio’s successful ballot measure enshrining abortion access into the state’s constitution, pro-life groups are offering their insights and pushing back against the popular media narrative that Republicans can’t win on the issue. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser released a memo explaining how opponents of the measure were outspent by a 2:1 margin in a media blitz that consisted of misleading ads. The memo argues that the abortion industry’s tactics involve spending millions of dollars and spreading lies about pro-life states’ protections for the life of the mother and access to care for miscarriages.
Stephen Billy, the Vice President of State Affairs at SBA, emphasized that the abortion industry’s positions are too extreme for most Americans, and their strategy relies on misinformation. He refuted claims that Republicans routinely fail to effectively communicate their stance on abortion and highlighted several instances where Republican politicians have successfully won on the issue post the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Notably, several pro-life governors who had previously signed abortion restrictions into law won overwhelming re-election efforts in Florida, Ohio, Iowa, and Georgia.
Billy stated that the key to winning the abortion debate lies in directly exposing the extremism of the other side and contrasting it with the compassion and love of the pro-life movement. He argued that being pro-life is not a political liability and that voters and the American people reject the abortion industry’s desire for unrestricted abortions. Ashley Hayek, a political strategist, stressed the need for more strategic spending, targeted messaging, and greater unity among conservatives against the well-funded pro-abortion networks.
While the Ohio vote was a setback for abortion opponents, Rev. Dean Nelson, the executive director of Human Coalition Action, reassured that the pro-life movement is accustomed to temporary setbacks on the path to ending abortion. Mehek Cooke, a Republican consultant and attorney, emphasized the importance of finding consensus to protect the life of the unborn, framing the pro-life movement as fighting against full-term abortions and advocating for parental consent.
Protect Women Ohio expressed disappointment in the Ohio vote, highlighting the potential negative consequences for Ohio families, women, and children. They cited the example of Michigan, where similar amendments were followed by the repeal of penalties for partial-birth abortions and the elimination of health and safety protections at abortion facilities.
Pro-life advocates anticipate that pro-abortion groups will use the same playbook in future abortion battlegrounds such as Arizona, Nebraska, Missouri, and South Dakota. They also expressed concern about the aggressive media bias and the need to counter it in order to change the direction of these debates.
Overall, pro-life groups are determined to continue their work to save lives and shield women from the abortion industry’s practices. They believe that stronger policies, consistent funding for pregnant mothers, pregnancy centers, and adoption services, along with respectful dialogue, can lead to a common-sense approach that protects the life of the unborn.
Andrew Mark Miller, a reporter at FOX News, contributed to this article.
