CHICAGO – “It has never been clearer than now that the abortion industry is desperate to solidify its hold on Illinois. Abortion giants have coerced moderate Republicans to do their dirty dealings – and against members of their own party, when they are already in the minority!"
That's what Illinois Right to Life Action spokesperson Mary Kate Knorr had to say in reaction to the funds a new group of pro-abortion Republicans are spending to defeat their party's members in the Illinois House and Senate.
The "Republican Mainstream Committee" is spending over $100,000 in 13 key Illinois state house and senate districts, demanding Illinois Republican members in the House and Senate to abandon their pro-life positions.
Those leading the effort are the late State Rep. Mark Beaubien's widow Dee Beaubien and abortion activist Marcie Love. Beaubien and Love are linking up with abortion industry leadership to pressure for more abortion leniency in Illinois law.
“Throughout the 1990’s and into the early 2000’s, pro-choice legislation was supported by both Republican and Democratic legislators,” said Terry Cosgrove, President of Personal PAC. “We’re asking moderate Republicans to join us in rejecting the extremism of the far right by supporting pro-choice candidates who better represent their interests. We need bipartisan support to protect Illinois women and their right to choose.”
Illinois, the most abortion-tolerant state in the Midwest, does not embrace abortion enough, the group insists.
“Most Republicans in Illinois agree that abortion is a private decision that should be made between a woman and her doctor, but extremist Republicans in Springfield don’t see it that way and that’s why we we’re using our voice and our dollars to vote them out on November 6,” the group's co-chair Marcie Love said in a statement.
The effort riled Illinois pro-lifers – a "Republican" group that wants to oust Republicans because they don't support killing unborn babies?
"What a pathetic move and a true showcase of the weak politicians we have in office. This action does a grave disservice to our women, who deserve the highest standards of care and exposure to every resource at their disposal," Knorr said. "We must continue to fight for the candidates who represent the pro-life voice, because they are the only ones TRULY defending Illinois women, families, and the unborn. Love and Beaubien should be ashamed of themselves. This is an utterly disgusting display of the corrupt state of our legislature.”
Earlier this week, the Illinois Right to Life announced State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) would be joining their board of directors. Her term in the Illinois House will end in January, after she lost to Governor Rauner in the close IL GOP gubernatorial primary earlier this year.
What were Ives thoughts on this Republican Mainstream Committee's efforts?
"I am waiting for our party chairman and co-chairman to denounce them for using the term Republican," Ives told Illinois Review.
The districts included in Republican Mainstream Committee's campaign are House districts 42, 45, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 61, 65, 68, and 97 and Senate districts 23 and 27.
If the group is successful in defeating their Republican colleagues, they will provide House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton with solid Democrat super-majorities.
