June 14, 2024
Students for Life Action (SFLAction) has been actively engaging voters and lawmakers in multiple states across the country to push back against multiple abortion-on-the-ballot campaigns, countering signature collection campaigns, raising awareness for pro-life champions facing challenging primaries, and holding Republican officials accountable for their pro-abortion votes.
These grassroots activities help establish strong connections between the Pro-Life Generation and legislators and their staff, but also educate voters and motivate students and volunteers to help push meaningful and life-saving legislation.
FLORIDA
On June 1 – 2, 10 volunteers and staff from SFLAction knocked on over 1,600 doors in Naples, Florida, to raise awareness around the impact of the limitless abortion ballot initiative that state voters could be facing in November. This effort is part of a larger nationwide “Decline to Sign” and “Just Vote No” campaign to push back against pro-abortion groups Get-Out-The-Vote effort on behalf of a faltering Biden Administration. If voted forward, this measure would allow individuals to get an abortion at any point before 23 to 24 weeks gestation (around five and half months of pregnancy).
READ: Abortion IS on the Ballot: The Top Pro-Life Ballot Initiatives for 2024
Additionally, one volunteer, Jose Sanchez, Ret. MSgt USAF, shared with SFLAction his reasons for coming out, and why he became pro-life.
“I was not always pro-life. My life views changed while serving on active duty when I learned that my sisters in arms can get abortions just because they don’t want another child based on gender. I knew a family who had gotten three abortion procedures simply because the gender revealed another female instead of exploring other avenues. I was sickened by the thought. How many abortive procedures is too many before it becomes an issue? This, for me, was the sole reason why I became pro-life. This was no longer about “choice.” It was, in fact, gendercide. I stand by my decision to be Pro-Life.”
IOWA
On May 18, 23, and 24, six volunteers knocked on 785 doors in Osage, Iowa educating voters regarding the record of Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, who voted against Iowa’s Heartbeat Abortion Prevention Act, and Students for Life Action’s Chemical Abortion Prevention Act. While voters chose to return Bloomingdale to office, SFLAction was proud to see other pro-life candidates win their races.
READ: Students for Life Action Applauds Advancement of TWO Pro-Life Candidates in Iowa Primaries
OKLAHOMA
On June 1, two staff members and three students from Students for Life at UTSA knocked on 633 doors in HD 41, Edmond, Oklahoma, to educate voters on the pro-life history of Republican Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader. She is the chief sponsor of HB3013, which aims to stop Chemical Abortion Pill trafficking. This effort was especially impactful as many residents mentioned illegal chemical abortions entering Oklahoma from Texas. One voter expressed long-term support for Rep. Hader and appreciated the educational efforts.
These defensive efforts are important, as Rep. Crosswhite Hader has come under attack from pro-abortion Republicans who do not wish to stop the proliferation of Chemical Abortion Pills and have put a primary opponent up against her.
READ: Our Most Recent Op-Ed: Oklahoma must ban medical abortion pills from out-of-state
SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina has been a priority for SFLAction, after the state’s Human Life Protection Act, which passed overwhelmingly in the House several times, was killed in the Spring of 2023 after six Republican senators sided with Democrats. These senators received glowing write ups in the New York Times, and an award from the Kennedy Family Foundation in Massachusetts.
This door knocking campaign was to engage in the districts of Senators Katrina Shealy and Penry Gustafson; nine young volunteers knocked on 1,146 doors over two days, resulting in 259 conversations (20.9% take rate). On primary election night in South Carolina, our hard work paid off: Senators Senn and Gustafson was defeated, and Sen. Shealy was forced into a run-off election.
Our objective was not just to win these races, but to send a message to all South Carolina Republicans – and Republicans across the nation — that there are electoral consequences to standing with Democrats and stopping pro-life bills.
VIRGINIA
On May 18, five students, along with two staff members, knocked on 635 doors in Charlottesville, Virginia, generating 59 conversations. The feedback was very positive, as most people already knew about Rep. Bob Good and were planning to vote for him in this conservative area.
Rep. Good has ranked among the top Republicans on defending Life in the entire 118th Congress – learn more about how he secured that score, below.
Through the remainder of the 2024 election cycle, SFLAction will engage and educate lawmakers and voters alike on the best ways to protect pre-born life in law and in service. And a big part of this strategy is engaging the Youth Vote – which now makes up more than one third of the American electorate, the largest voting bloc.
To learn more about SFLAction’s Engagement the Youth Vote, click here.
AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GRASSROOTS EFFORTS IN OTHER STATES, READ: Recapping Students for Life Actions Lobbying Day Efforts in Over a Dozen States