By South Carolina Citizens for Life
Lisa Van Riper, the president of South Carolina Citizens for Life, received the Carroll Campbell Courage in Leadership Award Monday night at the Greenville, S.C., County Republican Convention.
The award, named for the late South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell, a staunchly pro-life leader, is given for pro-life advocacy at the state and national levels. Governor Campbell was from Greenville.
Greenville Republican Party Chairman Nate Leupp, presented the award on behalf of the party.
Mrs. Van Riper noted that the award is usually given to an elected official. “I see that award as affirmation of how embedded the prolife plank is now in the Republican platform,” she said. “This would never have happened in 1990 when I attended my first county convention.”
Mrs. Van Riper played a prominent role in promoting the candidacy of pro-life Governor Henry McMaster whose militant pro-abortion opponent tried to downplay his endorsement by Planned Parenthood and his pro-abortion voting record. Her 30 second video exposed the fact that James Smith, the pro-abortion candidate, voted against the bill that would outlaw dismemberment abortions.
“We are extremely proud of the recognition of Lisa Van Riper for her fearless advocacy for the right to life of the unborn members of our human family and for the protection of the medically fragile and vulnerable,” said Holly Gatling, South Carolina Citizens for Life executive director. “Lisa has a dramatic conversion story from being ‘pro-choice’ to pro-life. When she came to understand how wrong abortion is for women and unborn sisters and brothers, she became an unstoppable force.”