Governor Glenn Youngkin is Virginia’s fortunate Republican warrior, and for good purpose. In a state that has voted blue in each presidential election since 2008, the pro-life governor’s recognition has constantly surpassed that of the Democratic Get together’s standard-bearer, President Biden. With each seat in a divided parliament up for grabs subsequent month, polls present a neck-and-neck race for social gathering management.
That is regardless of tens of millions of {dollars} in assault advertisements portraying Youngkin and the Republican Get together as excessive and out of contact with abortion. Democrats are once more banking on abortion because the central problem to avoid wasting them.
Politico lately described Youngkin as “large guess” on a platform of defending infants within the womb after 15 weeks, some extent at which science reveals they really feel ache, with an assertive technique of happening the offensive to counter opponents’ lies. refute and expose them as the actual ones. extremists.
After advising a whole lot of pro-life candidates, I might take that guess any day.
Flipping the script is not really a brand new tactic. Youngkin used it efficiently in 2021, but it surely stays tragically underutilized nationally.
On the controversy stage and on the air, Youngkin refused to let abortion extremist Terry McAuliffe monopolize the narrative. On Election Day, 8 p.c of Virginia voters named abortion as the highest problem in exit polls. These voters overwhelmingly supported Youngkin, they usually received a Republican majority within the Home of Representatives.
What’s distinctive and particular about Virginia is the unity amongst Republicans led by Youngkin, their fearlessness and the sources they use to assist their message and create a stage taking part in area. It is the primary time since Dobbs The Supreme Court docket’s choice, which overturned the constitutional proper to abortion, states that every one of those components shall be actually examined in a state of emergency.
By early October, Democratic Home and Senate candidates had spent a minimum of $4.5 million on abortion-targeted advertisements, in comparison with Republicans’ $590,000. Youngkin’s PAC lately amplified that with a $1.4 million marketing campaign targeted on commonsense abortion limits.
To today, Republicans have been exact and clear about the place they draw the road on abortion, together with their positions on exceptions for rape, incest and the lifetime of the mom. The Democrats’ method, then again, is to accuse all Republicans of pushing for a whole ban, with no exceptions, and of desirous to lock ladies in jail or not caring in the event that they die.
Youngkin and firm are pushing again towards this and highlighting the Democrats, highlighting their lies and their very own admissions that they’d enshrine into legislation unrestricted abortion at any time throughout being pregnant. The Virginia Republicans’ strategy is sensible. It exudes confidence and reveals how severely they take the problem.
All this makes Virginia the clearest indicator for 2024.
You’d suppose Democrats would be taught their lesson from Terry McAuliffe’s surprising defeat. However since Dobbs have upended the established order, they depend on concern and anger round abortion to kind their base.
This script labored comparatively nicely within the interim durations of 2022. As pro-life governors who signed robust anti-abortion protections surged to re-election, many federal candidates—little question on the recommendation of skittish advisers—selected the “ostrich technique.” After they might not run, they hid. After they could not cover, they modified the topic.
However the Democrats have an Achilles heel. The humanity of the kid within the womb frightens them. Certainly one of their high pollsters admitted to The New York Occasions, “Debate weeks are usually not the place we need to be,” reportedly as a result of “individuals are horrible at math and horrible at biology.”
They do not need to discuss in regards to the infants’ well-developed little fingers and toes, or their beating hearts, or the ache they really feel when they’re torn aside in an abortion at fifteen weeks. They know that the American folks won’t assist them if they’re sincere about their place.
When Democrats are pressured to call a restrict they’d assist, they dodge each time. For this reason Republicans must get particular. It provides voters a stark distinction and prevents the reality from being swallowed up by the Democrats’ large, broad lies.
Youngkin and the Republican Get together of Virginia are usually not cowering. Candidates throughout the nation ought to pay attention to their management. They rebuke the lies of their opponents and make their very own positions clear. Youngkin himself defends life with pleasure and optimism – no marvel some say he seems to be presidential.
The Republican Get together is united round Youngkin’s 15-week restrict. This is able to defend a whole lot of lives every year and be a big step ahead from Virginia’s present legal guidelines, which permit second-trimester abortions for any purpose and third-trimester abortions for psychological well being causes. It might replicate the need of 60 p.c of Virginians, together with robust majorities of Democrats, independents, ladies and self-identified pro-choice voters.
The one factor preserving late-term abortion on demand in Virginia is the Democrats within the Senate.
This election might set the stage not just for defending infants and moms in Virginia, however for future elections as nicely. If Republicans thwart the advances of pro-abortion rights Democrats and retain the Home of Representatives or take management of the Senate, this would offer the Republican Get together with a roadmap to sort out abortion and make it their profitable problem nationwide — even within the bluest states – and in Washington. All eyes are on Virginia to show that abortion will not be the panacea of the left.
Marjorie Dannenfelser is president of Susan B. Anthony Professional-Life America.
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