FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 12, 2016
Contact: Mallory Quigley, [email protected] 703-380-6674
Open Letter to Palmetto State Voters
Greenville, SC – Pro-life women leaders from South Carolina and across the nation are sounding the alarm about Donald Trump and urging Palmetto state voters to support other pro-life candidates in the primary on February 20th.
The women leaders, who have not endorsed any candidate individually or collectively, have sent an open letter (linked and copied below) to pro-life voters in South Carolina listing concerns about Mr. Trump’s past statements regarding Supreme Court Justices, his openness to a pro-abortion vice presidential pick, and his treatment of women.
Signers include South Carolina State Reps. Donna Hicks (District 37) and Wendy Nanney (District 22), Laura Beth Kirsop of the Upstate Young Republicans, Beverly LaHaye, Penny Nance, and Tonya Shellnutt of Concerned Women for America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, Marilyn Musgrave, and Tami Fitzgerald of Susan B. Anthony List.
The letter, which will be transmitted to South Carolina voters by email in the week ahead, was announce this morning at a press conference ahead of the Faith & Family Forum hosted today by Bob Jones University. Several presidential candidates are scheduled to speak, including Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Governor Jeb Bush (R-Florida), and Dr. Ben Carson.
Last month a similar coalition letter signed by Iowa and national pro-life women leaders to Republican caucus-goers contributed to a significant slowdown in momentum for Trump ahead of caucus day. According to entrance polling, Trump garnered the support of just five percent of caucus-goers who want a candidate who “shares your values.”
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“Anyone but Trump” in South Carolina
An Open Letter to GOP Primary Voters from Pro-life Women Leaders
February 12, 2016
Dear South Carolina voters,
As pro-life women leaders from South Carolina and across the nation, we urge Republican primary voters to support anyone but Donald Trump. On the issue of defending unborn children and protecting women from the violence of abortion, Mr. Trump cannot be trusted and there is, thankfully, an abundance of alternative candidates with proven records of pro-life leadership whom pro-life voters can support. We have come to this conclusion after having listened patiently to numerous debates and news reports, but most importantly to Donald Trump’s own words.
The next president will be responsible for as many as four nominations to the Supreme Court. Mr. Trump has given us only one indication about the type of judges he would appoint, and it does not bode well for those who would like to see the court overturn Roe v. Wade. Mr. Trump has said his sister, Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, who struck down the Partial Birth Abortion Ban in New Jersey, would be a “phenomenal” choice for the court. Last month, Mr. Trump also said he thought pro-choice Senator Scott Brown would make a “very good” Vice President. If one truly believes, as we do, that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life and is committed to pro-life priorities such as ending abortion and defunding the nation’s largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood, it would be a disaster to have a vice president who disagrees.
Moreover, as women, we are disgusted by Mr. Trump’s treatment of individuals, women, in particular. He has impugned the dignity of women, most notably Megyn Kelly, he mocked and bullied Carly Fiorina, and has through the years made disparaging public comments to and about many women. Further, Mr. Trump has profited from the exploitation of women in his Atlantic City casino hotel which boasted of the first strip club casino in the country.
America will only be a great nation when we have leaders of strong character who will defend both unborn children and the dignity of women. We cannot trust Donald Trump to do either. Therefore we urge our fellow citizens to support an alternative candidate.
Signed:
Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony List”
Tami Fitzgerald, North Carolina State Director, Susan B. Anthony List
Maggie Gallagher, Columnist and author
Rep. Donna Hicks, South Carolina District 37
Laura Beth Kirsop, Chairman of the Upstate Young Republicans & Pro-life Advocate
Andrea Lafferty, President, Traditional Values Coalition
Beverly LaHaye, Founder and Chairman, Concerned Women for America
Aimee Murphy, Founder, Life Matters Journal
Marilyn Musgrave, Fmr. Congresswoman, VP of Government Affairs, Susan B. Anthony List
Penny Nance, President and CEO, Concerned Women for America
Melissa Ohden, Abortion Survivor and Pro-life Activist & Speaker
Star Parker, Founder and President, Urbancure
Tonya Shellnutt, State Director, Concerned Women for America South Carolina
Jill Stanek, National Campaign Chair, Susan B. Anthony List
Rep. Wendy Nanney, South Carolina District 22
(Note: Titles & Affiliations are for identification purposes only.)
