PRO-LIFE CANDIDATES FARE WELL IN WV PRIMARY
(May 11 Press Release)
Incumbent Representative Carol Miller handily won renomination in the newly redistricted Congressional District 1 with 66% of the vote on Tuesday, May 10, in the West Virginia Primary. Two Congressional incumbents in David McKinley and Alex Mooney squared off against each other in the new Congressional District 2. Both were endorsed, but Mooney came out on top by a margin of 54-36%. “Congressman McKinley was instrumental in the passing of numerous pieces of pro-life legislation over his years in office, both on the state and national fronts,” said WVFL Political Liaison Karen Cross. “Many lives have been saved because of his steadfast commitment to the unborn. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Of the 18 Senate races in which the West Virginians for Life Political Action Committee (WVL-PAC) made endorsements, only two races were lost, but one of the two winners, Jason Barrett in S16, is pro-life.
In 97 House of Delegates races where the WVL-PAC made endorsements, there were 13 losses, and yet, ten of those 13 winning nominees are pro-life. WVFL thanks the following incumbents for their past pro-life support who will not be returning to the House in 2023: Roger Conley (H11), Shannon Kimes (H 14), Johnnie Wamsley (H18), Chad Lovejoy (H27), Josh Booth (H28), Dianna Graves (H59), Danny Hamrick (H69), Guy Ward (H74), and Ruth Rowan (H89).
All in all, the rate of success of candidates endorsed by West Virginians for Life was 87%.
The following quote can be attributed to Wanda Franz, Ph.D., President of West Virginians for Life PAC: “WVL-PAC is pleased with the election results overall. The PAC works to support pro-life candidates from both parties. The overwhelming pro-life successes in this election are, in part, due to voters’ desire to elect legislators at both the federal and state levels, who reflect their values regarding the dignity of each human life. West Virginians for Life looks forward to seeing increased support for pro-life candidates in the general election in November.”
NRL News Today
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- Vice President’s College Tour Shows That the White House Prioritizes Unlimited Abortion September 14, 2023WASHINGTON, D.C.— On Thursday, September 14, Vice President Kamala Harris began her tour of colleges and universities to promote the administration’s priorities which include unlimited abortion. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have made unlimited abortion throughout pregnancy a priority issue,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “With the Biden-Harris Administration, Big Abortion has had […]
- National Right to Life Releases Its Latest White Paper: What the Media Missed in Its Coverage of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Decision Regarding Mifepristone September 12, 2023WASHINGTON, D.C.— On Tuesday, September 12, National Right to Life released a white paper challenging the media coverage of the decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in August. In its decision, the Fifth Circuit determined that when the FDA […]
- Oregon Right to Life Sues Over Oregon’s Abortion-Coverage Mandate in Health Insurance September 5, 2023WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Oregon Right to Life (ORTL), the state affiliate of National Right to Life, sued for relief from Oregon’s requirement that employee health insurance plans provide coverage for abortion. “As a pro-life organization, no one questions that we hold deep moral objections to abortion,” said ORTL executive director Lois Anderson. “We are only asking for […]
- West Virginia District Court Affirms West Virginia’s Right to Stop the Use of Mifepristone August 25, 2023WASHINGTON, D.C.— Late yesterday, the U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers issued a decision GenBioPro, Inc. v. Sorsaia. In the lawsuit, GenBioPro, a chemical abortion drug manufacturer, challenged West Virginia’s Unborn Child Protection Act claiming that it should be found unconstitutional on the basis that Congress gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over state laws […]
- First GOP Debate Shows that Candidates Are Not Afraid to Talk About Protecting Life August 24, 2023In Contrast with the Biden/Harris Administration Which Promotes Unlimited Abortion WASHINGTON – During tonight’s debate, several of the presidential candidates for the Republican Party spoke about the right to life. “Tonight’s candidates showed that the right to life is at the heart of the Republican Party,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. […]
- South Carolina’s Fetal Heartbeat Act Upheld by South Carolina Supreme Court August 23, 2023WASHINGTON – Today, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld South Carolina’s 2023 Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act in a 4-1 ruling. South Carolina Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge, writing for the majority, concluded: …the legislature has found that the State has a compelling interest in protecting the lives of unborn children. That finding is indisputable […]
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Determines that Food and Drug Administration’s 2016 and 2021 Changes to Mifepristone Were Unlawful August 16, 2023Stay on Lower Court Ruling Remains While Litigation Continues WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), determined that when the FDA loosened regulations in 2016 and 2021 regarding the drug mifepristone, it did so unlawfully, failing to give adequate […]
- Right to Life Election Victory in Mississippi August 9, 2023WASHINGTON – National Right to Life and Mississippi Right to Life hailed tonight’s primary election victory of Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann. During the primary campaign, Lt. Governor Hosemann was wrongly attacked by his opponents as being a supporter of abortion. “The voters of Mississippi have spoken and have shown that they respect the long-standing pro-life […]
- Ohio’s Issue 1 Results August 9, 2023WASHINGTON – A vote to raise the threshold to change the Ohio state constitution from a simple majority vote to a vote of 60% failed to pass. “Changing the Ohio constitution should require a higher vote threshold than a simple majority,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Sadly, voters rejected raising the threshold and […]
Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Protection Act Victory
(SB 468/HB 4337)
By Wanda Franz and Karen Cross
The Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Protection and Education Act was signed into law by Governor Jim Justice on March 21, 2022, on “World Down Syndrome Day.” It was a wonderful celebration of life with many legislators, who supported the bill, in attendance including bill sponsors Senator Patricia Rucker and Delegate Kayla Kessinger. In addition, Kurt and his daughter Chloe Kondrich, ambassadors for “Embrace Don’t Erase” Down syndrome, were pleased to be among the witnesses. In the words of “Dadvocate” Kurt, “It was the BEST day ever!”
The bill passed in the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 28 to 5 with 1 absence. It passed in the House of Delegates with 81 Yeas, 17 Nays and 2 Absent. The concurring vote in the Senate passed with five minutes left in the regular 60-day session. It will take effect June 10, 2022.
“Killing an unborn child because of a disability is an extreme form of discrimination against people with disabilities,” said West Virginians for Life Political Liaison Karen Cross. “I’m so proud of the West Virginia Legislators for protecting these vulnerable babies with disabilities from abortion.”
The Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Protection and Education Act is very important here in West Virginia. Families whose children are diagnosed with Down syndrome or other disabilities face enormous pressure to abort. Most of these families succumb to this pressure. It is estimated that as many as 90% of these babies are aborted.
We need to protect these families by outlawing abortions when the only reason is that the child has a disability. It should never have become medical practice in West Virginia to perform abortions on healthy women without a medical reason. Yet that is the case today when abortions are done for eugenic reasons. This is especially problematic because these abortions are generally done later in pregnancy, when abortion causes higher risk for women physically and psychologically. We are allowing eugenic policies to be carried out that endanger women’s bodily health.
What these mothers really need is information, education, and support to help them deal with their special children. Families raising children with Down syndrome are overwhelmingly positive about their experience. The new law provides for this education to be provided by the Department of Health and Human Services.
After the victory, National Right to Life (NRLC) State Legislative Director Ingrid Duran stated, “The National Right to Life Committee applauds the great state of West Virginia for putting a stop to eugenic abortions and providing helpful resources for families that are given a disability diagnosis in their unborn child.”
Ruth Rowan (standing in for House Speaker Roger Hanshaw) received the Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Protection and Education Act petitions from WVFL’s Office Manager Mary Anne Buchanan and President Wanda Franz, Ph.D., at February 7 Pro-Life Rally Day.
Bill Lead Sponsors Delegate Kayla Kessinger and Senator Patricia Rucker posed with Chloe Kondrich, who lobbied for the bill on behalf of “Embrace Don’t Erase” Down syndrome.
Dalton Ratcliff of Fairdale, son of Doug Ratcliff and Angie Honaker, was quite a hit with the Governor. His grandmother, Raleigh County Chapter Leader Hilda Shorter of Sophia, was pleased to be in attendance to witness this day.