CHICAGO (ChurchMilitant.com) - One of the last pro-life Democrats in Congress has been shown the door. Democrats of Illinois' 3rd Congressional District have followed the lead of its party's vocal pro-death presidential candidates.
In a high-profile rematch between Rep. Dan Lipinski and Marie Newman — a pro-death, pro-same-sex "marriage" democratic socialist who wants "the economy to work for everyone," Lipinski lost Tuesday's Democratic congressional primary election by two percentage points.
A long list of prominent lawmakers backed Newman, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.
"I'm a real Democrat," Newman likes to tell voters. "To be a real Democrat, you have to believe in the platform," she says.
Like Sanders, she is staunchly pro-abortion and identifies income inequality as the root cause of American suffering. Like Sanders and Warren, Newman supports Medicare-for-all, a $15 minimum wage, the Green New Deal, the Equality Act and free college tuition. She believes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be "repealed and replaced."
Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago, also wanted Lipinski gone for defending the preborn. "I support a big tent," she tweeted, "but there's no room under the flaps for anyone who is actively seeking to deny women control over our bodies."
Lipinski's loss comes after Democratic presidential candidates vocalized their disavowal of the pro-life position and pro-life voters. In a nationally televised town hall meeting in early February, 2020 candidate Sanders indicated that being a Democrat means being pro-abortion.
"I think in the Senate, 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.
Before this, during a Jan. 26 town hall with Fox News' Chris Wallace, Democrat candidate Pete Buttigieg was drilled by pro-life Democrat Kristen Day of Democrats for Life of America, who questioned him on inclusion of pro-life Democrats.
"I'm a proud pro-life Democrat," she told Buttigieg. "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 responded by explaining he was a staunch supporter of Roe v. Wade and will not waver from his pro-abortion stance. "I am pro-choice," he told her. "I believe a woman ought to be able to make that decision."
The Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) supported Lipinski throughout his race.
"We offer condolences to our friend, Congressman Lipinski, who fought fiercely and admirably in this race, and to the pro-life citizens of his district who have lost a champion," said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a prepared statement. "Congressman Lipinski has long been a profile in courage, bucking the sad trend of Democrat leaders vying to be the greatest advocate of abortion. We are deeply grateful for his bravery in standing strong."
Catherine Glenn Foster, President of Americans United for Life (AUL) called Lipinski's loss "a loss for Illinois and for our entire nation. Dan Lipinski is precisely the sort of leader America needs in our public square: principled, pragmatic and prudent," she said.
Pro-life Democrats continue to dwindle in number within Congress. Pro-life observers see Lipinski's loss as a continuation of an ideological "cleansing" by the Democratic Party of anyone who believes government has the obligation to protect innocent human life at any stage of its maturity.
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