Activists strive to transition in first post-Roe March for Life

For the first time in its five-decade history, Friday’s March for Life is no longer about overturning Roe v. Wade. So why march?

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, gets that a lot.

The short answer, she said, is that abortion remains a reality as Democrats and pro-choice groups redouble their efforts to increase access and jettison limitations after the Supreme Court struck down Roe in June.

Instead of overturning Roe, the focus has become “to fight for the day that abortion is unthinkable.”

Pro-life activists have adopted that effort as a theme, “Next Steps: Marching Into a Post-Roe America,” for the annual march on the National Mall in the nation’s capital.

“With Roe now behind us, we are empowered to save countless innocent American lives by continuing to advocate for commonsense protections at the state and federal level, educating Americans on the intrinsic dignity of all human life,” Ms. Mancini said in a statement. “This year will be a somber reminder of the millions of lives lost to abortion in the past 50 years, but also a celebration of how far we have come and where we as a movement need to focus our effort as we enter this new era.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the fall of Roe has ushered in “the brand-new pro-life movement.”

“For the first time, the March for Life, America’s annual pro-life demonstration, will take place this year in a changed nation, a new era in which the people are empowered to protect unborn children and their mothers again finally after 50 years,” Ms. Dannenfelser said on a Wednesday press call.

Marchers are in uncharted territory on the cusp of the pro-life movement’s biggest annual event, which has been held every year since January 1974 on or near the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide.

The transition has not been without turbulence. The movement was hit with a backlash after the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked May 2, sparking a surge of attacks by pro-choice radicals on crisis pregnancy centers, including at least three firebombings.

Protesters held noisy marches outside the homes of conservative Supreme Court justices. A California man was arrested in July outside the home of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and charged with attempted assassination.

Pro-choice advocates swung back with amendments enshrining abortion rights in state constitutions in California, Michigan and Vermont, and pro-life ballot measures were defeated in Kansas and Kentucky.

Democrats accused pro-life pregnancy facilities of promoting “misinformation,” and even some Republicans were critical of the movement. Former President Donald Trump, a champion of pro-life causes during his administration, blamed the abortion issue for the underperformance of Republican candidates in the November elections.

Ms. Dannenfelser said it was almost impossible to anticipate the social and political upheaval that accompanied the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which was issued on June 24.

“What we worked for, prayed for, marched for, lobbied for, raised money for, after all those years, finally that moment came true,” she said. “And while we prepared, nothing really prepares you for reality in this area, where it’s truly a revolution on the ground.”

One challenge for the pro-life movement is keeping supporters energized and engaged.

“I will say to be transparent that that was a concern of ours,” Ms. Dannenfelser said. “Some people were a little bit frozen in time, not sure what to do. But that is our responsibility, and the responsibility of our allies across the country, to make sure it’s very, very clear where our gains can be made.”

Turnout at Friday’s march will offer a barometer of grassroots enthusiasm. The rally ahead of the march will feature actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus on the streaming hit “The Chosen,” and NFL Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and his wife, Lauren Dungy, who co-wrote a book about fostering more than 100 children.

See you Friday, @LibertyU students!https://t.co/t0eDXZq0K0

— March for Life (@March_for_Life) January 18, 2023

Other speakers include House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican; Rep. Christopher Smith, New Jersey Republican; Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, and even a Democrat, Connecticut state Rep. Trenee McGee.

Pro-choice advocates are also gearing up to mark the anniversary of Roe. Vice President Kamala Harris plans to deliver a speech Sunday in Florida.

“The Vice President will make very clear: the fight to secure women’s fundamental right to reproductive health care is far from over,” Harris spokesperson Kirsten Allen said in a statement. “She will lay out the consequences of extremist attacks on reproductive freedom in states across our country and underscore the need for Congress to codify Roe.”

The Women’s March is holding “Bigger Than Roe” rallies nationwide on Sunday. The main event will be in Madison, Wisconsin. Sponsoring partners include the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Polls released Wednesday show that Americans continue to support restrictions on abortion access. The annual Knights of Columbus/Marist poll found that 69% of adults favor limiting abortion to the first trimester at most and 91% support pregnancy resource centers.

A poll of registered voters conducted by WPA Intelligence for SBA Pro-Life America found that 61% support legislation to bar most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation, also known as pain-capable bills, with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother.

Fifteen states now have what Ms. Dannenfelser describes as “strong pro-life laws in effect.” She said the laws have the potential to save 125,000 lives per year. Some are being fought in court.

Stephen Billy, SBA Pro-Life America vice president for state affairs, said the organization is focusing on legislation in four states, including a 15-week bill in Virginia and a heartbeat bill in Nebraska, which bans most abortions after six to eight weeks of gestation.

The other two states are Florida and North Carolina. Ms. Dannenfelser said she was “incredibly impressed” after meeting recently with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to gauge his commitment. Still, she said, the Republican leader had not decided whether to follow up after signing a 15-week bill into law last year.

“Giving you the transparent truth, he doesn’t know yet what would be next, and so I don’t know yet what would be next,” Ms. Dannenfelser said. “I think he believes that 15 weeks is a start, in his words, but I don’t know where it would go from there.”

Her organization’s goals start with winning the presidency, the Senate and House in 2024, as well as being “the most ambitious we can be and win” in pushing for state limitations on abortion and a “federal minimum standard.”

Last year, she backed a bill introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, barring most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Yet the Senate Republican leadership downplayed abortion as an issue for the states.

Ms. Dannenfelser sent a shot across the bow to Republican candidates for president by saying that any contender who doesn’t support a federal role on abortion would be disqualified from her organization’s support.

Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, sent a shout-out to the march. He noted that he supported the Graham bill during his November reelection campaign and dinged political consultants who “want Republican politicians to run the other way on abortion.”

“We are in a new era, fresh off victory in Dobbs and energized for what comes next,” Mr. Rubio said in an op-ed in Townhall. “Doing what is right isn’t always easy, but it is never in vain.”

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.