Can there be sweeter words for any pro-life candidate to hear than for a militantly pro-abortion media outlet to call you an “anti-abortion crusader”?
Such is the description Mother Jones’s Rosa Furneaux affixed to Mike DeWine, former congressman from Ohio, state Attorney General, and now the Republican candidate for governor. The full headline reads “Pro-Choicers Fear for the Future Should Anti-Abortion Crusader Mike DeWine Become Ohio Governor.”
Her lead is music to pro-life ears:
Standing at the podium during an Ohio gubernatorial debate last month, Attorney General Mike DeWine raised one hand and looked straight into the TV camera. “I am pro-life,” he said. “I believe government exists to protect the most vulnerable people. That includes the unborn as well as the born.”
This directness came as no surprise to the state’s reproductive-rights activists. DeWine has been instrumental in curtailing the ease and availability of abortions in Ohio.
Nor does that “directness” in support of unborn babies come as a surprise to the state’s leading pro-life organization, Ohio Right to Life, which is a huge supporter of Mr. DeWine. When he won the Republican nomination for governor, Ohio Right to Life wrote
Make no mistake, pro-life Ohioans stepped up and visibly demonstrated their support for Mike DeWine. We are proud to support him as the best leader for Ohio’s future and are confident that he will beat his pro-abortion opponent this fall. The stakes are high, and lives hang in the balance, as we seek to continue the progress of the last seven years. We know that Mike DeWine will champion this cause and ensure that Ohio remains a strong pro-life state.”
So what has DeWine done to inspire such fear on the one hand and congratulations on the other? Glad you asked.
“After enacting 20 pro-life initiatives during the past 7 years, Ohio must continue its progress with a strong pro-life partner in the Governor’s office,” said Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life. “Mike DeWine’s pro-life accomplishments has saved countless babies and their mothers and it is with great pride and confidence that we endorse him today. DeWine has a proven track record from crafting life saving laws at the state and national level, to his fierce defense of Ohio’s current abortion regulations in state and federal court. Ohio Right to Life is proud to endorse Mike DeWine.”
Pro-abortionists in Ohio, of course, loathe outgoing pro-life Gov. John Kasich. “Kasich has signed 20 anti-abortion measures since 2011, according to NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio,” according to Furneaux.
So that’s as “bad” as it can get, right? Furneaux asks the question, “Would DeWine be more hostile toward reproductive rights than Kasich has been?”
Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, responds, “It’s not possible, it’s 100 percent fact!”
As is the case with so many races—gubernatorial as well as congressional—the contest between DeWine and pro-abortion Democrat Richard Cordray is expected to go down to the wire.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
