WASHINGTON, D.C. â Tonight, Susan B. Anthony List âVotes Have Consequencesâ target freshman Rep. Steve Driehaus (OH-01) lost his re-election bid, making him the 14th SBA List Votes Have Consequences target successfully defeated. (A running tally of successful Votes Have Consequences candidate defeats can be viewed here.)
âOhio voters proved that Members of Congress who finesse or ignore the deeply held values of their constituents lose their title âRepresentativeâ in principle and in fact,â said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. âAlmost a year ago, our polling in this district revealed strong opposition to federal funding of abortion and significant voter intensity attached to that view. Congressman Driehaus tried to explain away his vote for a health care plan that included such funding and paid the price with pro-life voters. Steve Chabotâs victory restores authentic pro-life leadership to the first district of Ohio.â
Driehaus and other so-called âpro-lifeâ Democrats voted in favor of the pro-life Stupak Amendment to the health care bill, but eventually betrayed their constituents by voting in favor of the final bill that did not contain the Stupak Amendment and includes taxpayer funding of abortion.
Driehaus filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission when the SBA List attempted to post billboards in his district highlighting his pro-abortion health care vote in October. The following week, the SBA List launched an aggressive radio ad campaign entitled âWhat Steve Driehaus Doesnât Want You to Hearâ combating his efforts to stifle its constitutionally-protected free speech.
Driehausâ loss brings the total number of so-called âpro-lifeâ Democrats successfully defeated through SBA Listâs $3.4 million Votes have Consequences project to 14. The Votes Have Consequences project included a comprehensive political campaign involving bus tours, billboards, radio and television ads, nearly one million mailers to pro-life voters, robo-calls, newspaper ads and local grassroots organizing.
The Susan B. Anthony List spent $11 million during the 2010 midterm elections, including: $3.4 million on its âVotes Have Consequencesâ project targeting self-described âpro-lifeâ Democrats who voted for abortion funding in the health care bill; $2.3 million on its efforts to elect pro-life women to the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and Statewide Office; and $1.4 million spent defeating pro-abortion incumbents and protecting pro-life leaders. SBA List members across the country bundled over $600,000 in direct contributions to candidates. Overall, the SBA List was involved in 90 races.
For further information, please contact Kerry Brown at (703) 470-1926 or [email protected].
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