Stupak Now Understands: Votes Have Consequences

Contact: Mallory Quigley, Susan B. Anthony List, 703-380-6674, mquigley@sba-list.org

WASHINGTON, April 9 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today, in response to the announcement by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) that he will not run for reelection in November, the Susan B. Anthony List released the following statement:

"It is unfortunate that, after years of pro-life leadership, Rep. Stupak caved during the final hours of the healthcare debate and voted to fund abortions with taxpayer dollars," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of Susan B. Anthony List.  "With our latest grassroots campaign we criticized his decision to do so and announced our commitment to find a true pro-life member to represent his district.

"In the days leading up to the healthcare vote our polling in the first district of Michigan showed that seventy-eight percent of his constituents said they opposed taxpayer funding of abortion.  Votes have consequences and he understands now what the polling revealed: a vote for that bill was a vote against the will of his constituents.  Yet he chose to do it and is suffering the consequences."

"As a national pro-life leader for many years, I have been proud of Bart Stupak for always standing on pro-life principles," said Jane Abraham, Susan B. Anthony List General Chairman.  "I was deeply saddened by his recent decision to walk away from those principles and support federally funded abortion.  With Rep. Stupak's decision to retire I look forward to aggressively working with a pro-life candidate in Michigan's first district."

Earlier this week the Susan B. Anthony List launched a $150,000 campaign of radio ads and automated phone calls in the districts of 'pro-life' Democrats, including Rep. Stupak, who voted 'Yes' on the healthcare bill to inform their constituents that their representatives' vote for the bill was a vote for taxpayer funding of abortion.

"Rep. Stupak's retirement now opens up the opportunity for the pro-life majority in his district to elect someone who will stand firm for Life and uphold the principles the voters elected them to uphold," continued Dannenfelser.  "We are pressing forward to promote true pro-life candidates in Michigan and around the country, Democrat or Republican, who will put pro-life over party."

The latest grassroots campaign comes on the heels of last year's nearly $2 million effort to keep abortion out of healthcare which included targeted television and radio ads, 1.3 million automated calls, 60,000 patch-through constituent calls, 1.2 million letters and petitions to Congress and two media tours in pro-life Democratic districts.

The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of Americans, over 280,000 residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.