By Karen Cross, Political Director
Connecticut, Minnesota, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin held primary elections in the last week. Here is a pro-life recap of some of the highlights.
Connecticut
Leora Levy, who is pro-life, won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to take on pro-abortion incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut. Levy was born in Havana, Cuba, and escaped the Castro regime with her family in 1960. She has served as the Republican National Committeewoman for the state of Connecticut since 2016.Levy notes on her campaign website that she “will fight to protect the miracle of life.” Her website also states, “A mother of three adult children, Leora recognizes that motherhood has been her greatest accomplishment in life.” In contrast, Blumenthal is the lead sponsor of the so-called Women’s Health Protection Act, an extreme pro-abortion bill that should really be titled the “Abortion Without Limits Until Birth Act” because it would enshrine abortion in federal law and policies, and it would tear down pro-life protections on the state level.
The Cook Political Report ranks Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District, currently held by pro-abortion Democrat Jahana Hayes, as just Leans Democrat. Connecticut State Senator George Logan won the Republican nomination to take on Hayes. After redistricting, some political observers believe Republicans have an opportunity to win a seat in Connecticut for the first time in years.
Minnesota
Republican Scott Jensen won the Republican nomination for governor of Minnesota. He will face pro-abortion incumbent Democrat Tim Walz. Throughout the campaign, Walz emphasized his support for abortion on demand and using Minnesota taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions. The Cook Political Report ranks the race as Likely Democrat.
In the attorney general race, Republican Jim Schultz won his party’s nomination in his bid to unseat incumbent Democrat Keith Ellison. Prior to serving as Attorney General, Ellison was a member of Congress, where he had a radical pro-abortion voting record. Ellison supports a policy of abortion on demand for any reason, and he supports using tax dollars to pay for abortions.
In Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, a special election was held to fill the seat left vacant by the passing of pro-life Congressman Jim Hagedorn. Brad Finstad, who was endorsed by National Right to Life, won the race defeating pro-abortion Democrat Jeff Ettinger and will serve the remainder of Congressman Hagedorn’s term. Finstad and Ettinger will face each other in a rematch in November with the winner earning a full House term.
In Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, Tuesday’s primary election set up a 2020 rematch between pro-life Republican Tyler Kistner and pro-abortion incumbent Democrat Angie Craig. Congresswoman Craig holds a 0% record on National Right to Life’s federal legislative scorecard. She is also endorsed by pro-abortion fundraising machine EMILY’s List, which only endorses female Democrats who share their agenda of abortion on demand for any reason, even until birth, and taxpayer funding of abortion. The Cook Political Report rates the race a Tossup.
In Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District, Michelle Fischbach is running for a second term. She is the co-chair of the House Pro-life Caucus. Her Democrat opponent is Jill Abahsain of Sauk Centre.
Tennessee (Primary held Thursday, August 4th)
Pro-life Republican Governor Bill Lee was unopposed in the Republican primary and moves on the general election where he will face pro-abortion Democrat Jason Martin. Governor Lee is a strong pro-life advocate and has signed multiple bills into law to protect unborn children and their mothers in Tennessee.
In Tennessee’s 5th District, Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, who is pro-life, won the Republican nomination. As a result of redistricting, the district is expected to flip from Democrat to Republican in the midterm elections. It is currently held by pro-abortion Democrat Jim Cooper but now with a partisan lean of R+15, Ogles is the favorite to win the seat in November. Cooper opted to retire rather than face those political headwinds. Pro-abortion Tennessee State Senator Heidi Campbell won the Democratic nomination. Campbell supports a policy of abortion on demand for any reason, and she supports taxpayer funding of abortion.
Vermont
Pro-abortion Congressman Peter Welch won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate to replace retiring Senator Patrick Leahy, who was first elected in 1974. Pro-life candidate Gerald Malloy won the Republican nomination. The Cook Political Report rates the race as Solid Democrat.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, won his party’s nomination for another term. Pro-abortion Democrat Brenda Siegel won the Democrat nomination. The Cook Political Report rates the race as Solid Republican, underscoring the independent nature of the state of Vermont.
Wisconsin
For U.S. Senate, pro-life incumbent Ron Johnson easily won the Republican primary with nearly 84% of the vote. In the general election, Johnson will face pro-abortion Democrat challenger and current Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. Serving as the number two to pro-abortion Governor Tony Evers, Barnes has been outspoken in support of abortion on demand for any reason and taxpayer funding of abortion. In contrast, Johnson holds a 100% pro-life voting record with National Right to Life.
In the Wisconsin governor’s race, pro-life Republican Tim Michels defeated former Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch for the Republican nomination. Michels will take on pro-abortion incumbent Governor Tony Evers in what many political observers expect to be one of the most competitive gubernatorial races in the country. The Cook Political Report ranks the race a Tossup.