Seeking to create an “inclusive culture of Democrats who oppose abortion and other systemic discrimination,” Democrats for Life advocate both for limiting legal access to elective abortion, as well as robust legislation with regard to healthcare, systemic injustice, and climate change.
Democrats for Life’s voice and other voices like it, however, have not often been heard by party leadership, including and perhaps especially the current president.
President Joe Biden has been referred to as “the most pro-abortion president” in United States history, making the codification of Roe a key part of his platform.
That reality, along with the effort of Democrats in Congress to push sweeping legislation that would overrule a myriad of state regulations on abortion, have led many evangelical leaders to call for a boycott of Democratic political candidates entirely.
“In light of today’s vote by Democrats to legalize abortion until [the] moment of birth, we are rapidly reaching the point that voting for a Democrat should be a matter of church discipline,” tweeted Texas pastor Tom Buck on Wednesday.
Likewise, in a sermon given earlier this year, Georgia pastor Mike Stone said to his church, “If I were to discover that you voted for a candidate that supported killing babies, you won’t be asked to lead in silent prayer in this church as long as I’m the pastor. You don’t need to be serving; you need to be listening and learning, because you’ve got a hole in your theology big enough to drive a Mack Truck through it.”
While intramural disagreements have long existed among pro-life advocates, the shared belief that Roe should be overturned has served to unify the movement. Should Roe indeed be overturned, the strength of those bonds will apparently be tested, as previously philosophical debates will play themselves out through continued activism and proposed legislation, both of which will be more consequential than ever before.
