There is such a thing as a pro-life Democrat. In fact, they make up around 22 percent of the Democratic Party. Also, eight percent of self-described liberal Democrats claim to be pro-life.
However, as NBC News correspondent Steven Kornacki notes, only three members of the House Democratic Caucus are pro-life:
3 of 193 (1.6%) of House Dems are now anti-abortion, while according to Pew 22% of Democratic voters are: pic.twitter.com/I79b68oMyu
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) March 20, 2018
That number could drop. Pro-life Democrat Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois is facing a primary challenge he may lose.
The Washington Free Beacon’s Paul Crookston writes: “Many Democratic lawmakers had held pro-life views even years after the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade granted a constitutional right to abortion in certain cases. If Lipinski is voted out, only 1 percent of House Democrats would be pro-life.”
Lipinski warned Democrats about expelling pro-life Dems from their ranks.
“It would be a disaster,” Lipinski argued. “We need to make sure that we are a big-tent party.”
If elected pro-life Democrats disappear, pro-life Democratic voters may reconsider supporting the party. By definition, pro-life is not a secondary issue for most supporters: it means you think abortion is murder. Those 22 percent who identify as pro-life have a decision to make.
Abortion has now become the default Democratic Party position. Failure to be pro-abortion is no longer seen as an acceptable disagreement, but as a moral failing that makes one incapable of election.
Pro-life Democrats may not yet realize that they are down to two or three voices in the House. They certainly know, however, how the Left now treats anyone with pro-life views.
While it’s unlikely a bunch of true conservatives will spring from those 22%, the Democratic Party might want to listen to Lipinski.
“This is part of the reason Donald Trump won,” Lipinski told the New York Times. “Democrats have chased people out of the party.”
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