(Oregon Right to Life) — Pro-life candidates in Oregon won their races by the dozens in Tuesday night’s General Election. More than 60% of the candidates supported by Oregon Right to Life PAC were victorious – and most importantly, we narrowly yet successfully blocked a pro-abortion supermajority in the legislature with the help of our donors and grassroots advocates.
Still, it wasn’t quite the night we were hoping for… as the results came in, I couldn’t help wishing we would have seen more pro-life wins, especially in Central Oregon.
The good news first:
- Representative Kevin Mannix and Representative Tracy Cramer, two pro-life incumbents in Marion County who sit in Democrat leaning districts and were targeted for defeat by pro-abortion opponents, secured re-election to continue representing pro-life values in the Oregon House of Representatives.
- In rural Lane County, pro-life candidate Darin Harbick won his race after a historic Primary victory against pro-abortion Republican incumbent Charlie Conrad.
- By holding onto pro-life seats, we prevented Democrats from achieving a pro-abortion supermajority in the Oregon legislature. This important victory means that pro-life lawmakers can continue representing the unborn and the medically vulnerable.
Our pro-life wins are thanks in no small part to the tremendous commitment of our dedicated and generous donors, as well as grassroots pro-life advocates who tirelessly knocked on doors, made phone calls, and got out the vote.
To all who were a part of this effort, thank you.
I’m excited to celebrate the wins – but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention our setbacks.
In Central Oregon, pro-life candidates for the Oregon State House and Senate, Keri Lopez (HD 53) and Michael Summers (SD 27), were defeated by their pro-abortion opponents.
These tight races were set in competitive districts (Keri’s was lost by a mere 509 votes in 2022), and there simply was not enough funding to tip the scales for our pro-life candidates. This year, Keri’s campaign spending was in line with that of the incumbent, but in most cases, a challenger needs to outspend an incumbent to secure victory. For his part, Michael certainly worked hard and raised funds from a strong network of local supporters. But in the end, the energy and resources aimed at retaining current numbers for Republicans in the Senate went to an east Multnomah County senate race. There, the Republican candidate outspent the incumbent almost 2:1… However, he was not endorsed by ORTL PAC and ultimately lost.
In both Keri’s and Michael’s races, their opponents leaned heavily on using the abortion issue to attack them … even though polls show many voters in Democrat-leaning districts favor at least some limits on abortion compared to the Democrats’ advocacy for unlimited abortion up to birth. ORTL PAC jumped in to expose Democrats’ extremism and counter the pro-abortion attacks against Keri and Michael, but the pro-life side was ultimately outspent.
It was disappointing to see Keri and Michael lose their races.
But overall, pro-life Oregonians can celebrate some crucial victories:
- We’ve blocked a pro-abortion supermajority
- 100% of Oregon’s Republican caucus is now pro-life
- ORTL PAC’s ground game –grassroots advocacy focused on one-on-one voter outreach – is tried, tested, and effective in turning out the vote for pro-life candidates
Tuesday night’s victories and setbacks prove once again that pro-life candidates have to get out in front of pro-abortion attacks early and define their positions clearly.
Oregon Right to Life PAC is a game-changer for pro-life candidates, helping them craft a persuasive pro-life message that most voters will agree with… so seeking and obtaining an endorsement from us is critical. And as with any political campaign, raising enough funds to get our candidates over the edge is always vital.
Moving forward, I’m confident that our grassroots operation – one of the only ones in the state that conducts year round canvassing – will deliver pro-life wins and flip pro-abortion districts.
We’ll keep pointing out the radicalism of pro-abortion Democrats, who openly support keeping abortion legal in Oregon up to the moment of birth – a position most Oregonians disagree with. And we’ll continue training pro-life candidates on key strategies that have been proven to make the difference.
With the 2024 election now behind us, I’m so grateful for the commitment of our donors, our grassroots volunteers, and all of our supporters who are willing to work hard and never give up on a pro-life vision for our state.
