Pro-Life Democrat Survives Leftist Challenge in Illinois

Chicago-area Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), one of the last pro-life Democrats in Congress, staved off a fierce primary challenge from a ferociously pro-abortion candidate last night. Rep. Lipinski defeated Marie Newman — an ultra-leftist who had the backing of Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Human Rights Campaign, and Bernie Sanders — by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent, or just under 2,000 votes. The vote count was close all night. Lipinski was strong in the working-class Catholic neighborhoods near Midway Airport, while Newman’s support came largely from wealthier suburbs. At around 11 p.m., just before the Associated Press called

Progressives Take Aim at One of Last Pro-Life Democrats in Congress

Pro-life Democrats? They still exist? The answer is just barely, and if far-leftists have their way, they will be almost completely gone from the national party. Up until the Obama years, there was a fairly sizable contingent of pro-life Democrats in Congress. This bloc of a dozen or so lawmakers were the last major holdouts preventing the passage of Obamacare in 2010 because it allowed for taxpayer funding of abortion. Led by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), they pushed for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which would have ensured that no federal money would go towards abortions. The amendment was supported by Republicans, who