A Message to Pro-Life Candidates
As you know, both pro-life and pro-abortion voters are extremely invested in the life issue, and in the outcome of this fall’s election. That makes it more important than ever to address this sensitive issue with truth and compassion, communicating your position respectfully and clearly to voters on all sides of this issue.
Every candidate should remember that pro-life Minnesotans make up a large portion of the electorate in every district. They want to see and hear your clear leadership on the life issue. Many of them will be dismayed if you ignore the abortion issue rather than clearly and respectfully communicating your position, and could even decide to stay home in November.
Remember, the best recent polls (here and here) indicate that most Minnesotans do NOT support Minnesota’s current extreme abortion laws permitting abortion any time for any reason up to the moment of birth. Most recently, fully 68.2% of Minnesotans supported at least limits on abortion if not an outright ban in most or all cases (43.7%). Only 30.1% of Minnesotans want abortion to be legal without any limitations. And yet, almost no pro-abortion candidates in Minnesota support any limitations on abortion, making theirs the real extreme position.
That’s why it’s worth asking your pro-abortion opponents, and voters inclined to support them, why they don’t support limitations on abortion, as over 68% of Minnesotans do. Would they not agree that it would be better to support women in unplanned pregnancies with material and financial support, child care, and the encouragement they need to confidently raise their children or give them a chance at life with a loving adoptive family, rather than the non-solution of abortion, which leaves women wounded, not cared for?
Pro-life candidates have no need to ignore this issue or be defensive. We show by our actions that we care both for preborn children, and women in unexpected pregnancies. We have truth and compassion on our side, and we have the ability to clearly communicate on this issue, encouraging voters who are already pro-life, winning undecided voters to our cause, and earning at least the respect of our opponents.
Thus, we can approach Minnesota voters with a message on abortion most of them already agree with—and a message that will win in November.
I share below some truthful, appealing, and constructive ways to communicate on this issue:
Abortion isn’t a real solution for women – Minnesota women deserve better.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has interpreted the state constitution to provide a right to abortion, but abortion is not one of the unalienable rights, like free speech or freedom of religion and conscience, granted to Minnesotans by the text of the Constitution itself.
Our opponents on this issue support abortion until the moment of birth with no limitations – that is an extreme position not shared by most Minnesotans and it must be countered with the truth.
