The liberal Emily’s List identified on Tuesday its first 12 GOP targets in next year’s election that it said it wants to replace with pro-choice, Democratic women.
The targets include three senators that the pro-choice group deemed “some of the most vulnerable,” namely Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, Marco Rubio of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
“Women are fed up with so-called representatives who prefer playing politics to protecting our rights,” said Emily’s List on its website announcing its targets. “We’re putting these incumbents “On Notice” for 2022.”
Mr. Rubio said Tuesday he was ready to battle with Emily’s List as he campaigns for reelection.
“Without life, there is no speech to protect and no religion to practice. Without life, nothing else matters,” Mr. Rubio said in a statement to The Washington Times. “That is why I will always fight to protect the rights of the unborn, and it’s no surprise that radical pro-abortion liberals in New York and California have made me a top target.”
Alongside the senators, Emily’s List is targeting nine Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Greg Abbott of Texas and Phil Scott of Vermont.
Mr. Baker campaigned as a pro-choice Republican but the liberal Emily’s List pointed to his governance as opposed to their vision for pro-choice policy. The liberal group cited as objectionable his support for “requiring minors to obtain parental consent to access abortion,” opposition to abortions later in pregnancy, and veto of legislation that would have codified a right to abortion in state law.
Emily’s List’s track record in defeating its leading opponents is mixed. In 2019, Emily’s List targeted six Republican senators and four of them won reelection in 2020. The two targeted candidates who lost were Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, who lost in a January 2021 runoff, and Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado.
Pro-life groups opposed to the Emily’s List agenda have taken an increasing interest in electoral politics and election integrity in the aftermath of the 2020 election. The pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, for example, has partnered with the American Principles Project and former Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli on an Election Transparency Initiative.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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