By Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative/PAC Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
Big money and big lies are a dangerous combination.
That’s the chief takeaway of the 2023 general election in Pennsylvania.
The Associated Press reports that an astounding $22 million was spent on the PA Supreme Court race, which pitted Planned Parenthood loyalist Democrat Dan McCaffery against strict constructionist Republican Carolyn Carluccio.
McCaffery won the seat, giving Democrats a 5-2 majority on the High Court. McCaffery and his supporters flooded the airwaves with disingenuous ads indicating that Carluccio supporters were poised to pass pro-life legislation without exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
The fact is, the long-standing PA Abortion Control Act, which is supported by the pro-life community, includes exceptions for life of the mother. The Down Syndrome Protection Act, the most recent pro-life legislation to be approved by the state legislature, included rape, incest, and medical emergency exceptions (Former Governor Tom Wolf ultimately vetoed the bill.).
McCaffery’s coattails swept down-ballot Democrats to victory, with pro-abortion candidates winning seats on the Superior Court and Commonwealth Court as well.
The election results in the Keystone State pose an interesting question: How can people expect unbiased justice from the courts, when the candidates have already pledged their allegiance to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s number one abortion operation?
Those who will primarily suffer as a result of Tuesday’s election are women and their unborn children. But results like these only make Pennsylvania pro-life advocates work harder and smarter.