November 6, 2024 | Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota House DFL majority that voted to enshrine unlimited abortion and to repeal protection for born-alive infants paid a price at the ballot box yesterday, pointing to the unpopularity of these extreme positions among the state's voters. Republicans overcame a 6-seat DFL majority to leave the House split 67-67, with two districts with razor-thin DFL leads facing recounts.
"Minnesotans want compassionate laws that support both moms and babies. That's not what we've gotten from DFL lawmakers, and all the pro-abortion messaging in this election can't cover up what they've done," said MCCL Co-Executive Director Cathy Blaeser. "DFL lawmakers created a fundamental right to abort any baby, for any reason, at any time throughout pregnancy. They rejected any and all amendments to make their law more moderate. Then they went even further by repealing a bipartisan measure that ensured that born-alive infants receive medically appropriate care that could save their lives. Minnesotans are rightly rejecting this kind of inhumane extremism."
The MCCL State Victory Fund, an independent expenditure PAC, ran TV and digital ads in targeted districts across the state—in addition to radio and newspaper ads, postcards, texts, and more—to better inform voters about the abortion policies enacted by DFL lawmakers. The Victory Fund also ran a TV ad featuring Michele Tafoya to dispel false claims made by DFL candidates.
Polls show that most Minnesotans disagree with the state's no-limits abortion policy. A Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 poll and a KSTP/SurveyUSA poll both found that just 30 percent of Minnesotans favor abortion without limits. And a KSTP/SurveyUSA poll this year determined that 64 percent of Minnesotans don't want abortion included in a proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the state Constitution.