WASHINGTON, D.C., January 28, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On the heels of its support for the March for Life, the Republican National Committee (RNC) is urging the party to declare its pro-life beliefs and reject a “strategy of silence” on abortion.
In a resolution, passed by a voice vote at its winter meeting last week, the RNC says it is “proud to stand up for the rights of the unborn” and Republicans should combat the Democrats’ “deceptive ‘War on Women’ attack against Republican pro-life candidates.”
They should do so, it adds, “regardless of those in the Republican Party who encourage them to stay silent.”
Kavon Nikrad, founder and editor of the Republican campaigns and elections website Race42016.com praised the RNC for the resolution. “This was a smart move by Reince Priebus and the RNC. While it is important for the Republican Party to fine tune their messaging in order to attract new voters from groups with which they have been struggling recently – such as younger voters and women – it is important that the GOP remain true to it's Pro-Life convictions.”
“Furthermore, current research has shown that invoking Pro Life messaging is still a winning strategy for Republican candidates in 'purple' regions of the country,” said Nikrad. “In the 2012 election, exit polls show nearly 35 million of the 60 million voters who cast ballots for Mitt Romney believe that abortion should be mostly or always illegal.”
The resolution argues that candidates who stay silent on abortion have “lost their elections” because in doing so they fail to maximize on broad support for certain pro-life measures, and “fail to alert voters to the Democrats' extreme pro-abortion stances.”
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It cites Gallup polling showing public support is with the Republican Party on a host of abortion-related issues. From the resolution (which is published in full below):
- 87% support informed-consent laws about certain possible risks of the abortion procedure;
- 80% support banning abortion during the 3rd trimester;
- 71% support parental consent laws;
- 69% support imposing a 24-hour wait period before an abortion;
- 64% of Americans support banning abortion during the 2nd trimester;
- 64% support banning partial-birth abortion;
- 64% support spousal notification laws that require the husband to be simply notified if his wife seeks an abortion.
“Staying silent fails because this strategy allows Democrats to define the Republican brand and prevents the Republican Party from taking advantage of widely supported pro-life positions listed above to attract traditional and new values voters,” the resolution reads.
In 2012, claims of a “War on Women” from Democratic Party candidates and the mainstream media cost at least two Republicans victory in the Senate, as well as one House incumbent. The rhetoric was pivotal in forcing GOP nominee Mitt Romney to run an ad citing his position in favor of limited legality on abortion.
A RNC spokesperson declined to detail how this support for life would be put into practical effect, telling LifeSiteNews.com that the Committee “[does] not get into policy” and “typically [does] not discuss individual language about resolutions.” Between 40 and 60 members of the RNC attended the March for Life last Wednesday.
Nikrad said the RNC's strong statement for life makes sense for the party's future. “As the political home of social conservatism in the United States, the GOP will cease to be an electoral force nationally it if ceases to be the party of socially conservative voters.”
RESOLUTION ON REPUBLICAN PRO-LIFE STRATEGY
Whereas, The Democrats have waged a deceptive “War on Women” attack against Republican pro-life candidates, demonizing them and manipulating American voters;
Whereas, The Republican Party is proud to stand up for the rights of the unborn and believe all Americans have an unalienable right to life as stated in The Declaration of Independence;
Whereas, Pro-life Republicans should fight back against deceptive rhetoric regardless of those in the Republican Party who encourage them to stay silent;
Whereas, Candidates who stay silent on pro-life issues do not identify with key voters, fail to alert voters to the Democrats' extreme pro-abortion stances, and have lost their elections;
Whereas, According to the extensive polling conducted by Gallup since 1975, many Republican stances regarding abortion garner at least 60 % support from the public and across the political spectrum:
· 87% support informed-consent laws about certain possible risks of the abortion procedure; · 80% support banning abortion during the 3rd trimester; · 71% support parental consent laws; · 69% support imposing a 24-hour wait period before an abortion; · 64% of Americans support banning abortion during the 2nd trimester; · 64% support banning partial-birth abortion; · 64% support spousal notification laws that require the husband to be simply notified if his wife seeks an abortion;
Whereas, Staying silent fails because this strategy allows Democrats to define the Republican brand and prevents the Republican Party from taking advantage of widely supported pro-life positions listed above to attract traditional and new values voters; and
Whereas, Staying silent fails to alert voters to the Democrats' extreme pro-abortion stances, which voters are repelled by; therefore let it be
RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee condemns the Democrats' deceptive “war on women” rhetoric;
RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee will support Republican pro-life candidates who fight back against Democratic deceptive “war on women” rhetoric by pointing out the extreme positions on abortion held by Democratic opponents;
RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee will not support the strategy of Republican pro-life candidates who stay silent in the face of such deceptive rhetoric; and,
RESOLVED, The Republican National Committee urges all Republican pro-life candidates, consultants, and other national Republican Political Action Committees to reject a strategy of silence on the abortion issue when candidates are attacked with “war on women” rhetoric.
Chief Sponsor: Ellen Barrosse, NCW, DE
Co-Sponsors: Debbie Joslin, NCW, AK; Ed Martin, Chairman, MO; Morton Blackwell, NCM, VA; Kathy Hayden, NCW, VA; Donna Cain, NCW, OR; Solomon Yue, NCM, OR; Demetra DeMonte, NCW, IL; Melody Potter, NCW, WV; Kris Warner, NCM, WV; Ron Philips, Chairman, DC; Pat Longo, NCW, CT ; Bruce Ash, NCM, AZ; Steve Scheffler, NCM, IA; Dave Agema, NCM, MI ; Robin Armstrong, NCM, TX.