Politics

Pro-Life Democrat Dan Lipinski Loses To Pro-Choice Primary Challenger

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Democratic Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski lost to primary challenger Marie Newman Tuesday night.

Lipinski, who is one of the few remaining pro-life Democratic lawmakers, lost to pro-choice primary challenger Newman during the Illinois primary Tuesday night. His loss comes despite a five figure campaign of support from the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List.

I’ve seen enough: progressive Marie Newman (D) defeats pro-life, eight-term Rep. Dan Lipinski (D) in #IL03.

— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) March 18, 2020

“Congressman Lipinski isn’t just a pro-life vote, he continues to speak out in defense of the unborn and their mothers in the face of his party’s radical pro-abortion leadership,” said national spokeswoman Mallory Quigley, who represents SBA’s Women Speak Out PAC, in a statement before the primary.

“Congressman Lipinski has been a champion of commonsense, compassionate, and popular legislation to stop taxpayer funding of abortion, to end late-term abortion, and to protect babies born-alive after failed abortions,” she added. “The current Democratic leadership may say there is no room for voices like Dan’s in their party, but we need him now more than ever.

Lipinski’s loss comes as Democratic candidates repeatedly disavow pro-life voters from their party. 2o2o presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said as recently as early February that being a Democrat means being pro-choice.

“I think in the Senate’s, probably 95% of the Democrats are pro-choice, the other few are not — in the House, maybe even a higher percentage,” he said.

“So that’s kind of what my view is. I think by this time in history, I think when we talk about what a Democrat is, I think being pro-choice is an essential part of that,” he added.

Sanders’s words came after pro-life Democrat Kristin Day questioned former 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Democratic inclusion of pro-life Democrats during a Jan. 26 town hall with Fox’s Chris Wallace.

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“I’m a proud pro-life Democrat,” she said. “Do you want the support of pro-life Democratic voters?”

“There are 21 million of us. And if so, would you support more moderate platform language to ensure the party of diversity and inclusion does include everybody?” she continued.

Buttigieg said that though he respects her views, he is not going to try to earn her vote “by tricking” her.

“I am pro-choice,” he said. “I believe a woman ought to be able to make that decision.”

Day protested that the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate did not address her question and pointed out that the Democratic platform “contains language that says we don’t belong.”