August 3, 2022
Identified as a key state for Students for Life Action (SFLAction) this election cycle, Arizona stands better to protect life in law after success in our primary engagement. After 101,966 phone calls, 106,186 personal text messages, 1,358 doors knocked, and 21 returned candidate surveys, SFLAction and the pro-life movement saw seven wins this election season.
Specifically, Arizona’s State Senate can now take a step towards life-saving legislation as a result of educating voters on pro-abortion candidates and incumbents who will not return to office. Starting with SFLAction’s efforts in 2020, OB-GYN Sherrlyn Young’s history of committing abortions was exposed with calls, texts, and mailers.
This candidate, adored by the abortion lobby, lost her primary for State Representative, leaving the preborn safer than before. In addition to Young, SFLAction saw Speaker Rusty Bowers lose to a more pro-life candidate, Senator-elect David Farnsworth.
As a major grassroots mobilizer, SFLAction targeted this race in support of Farnsworth. In addition to using its network in the region for Young and Farnsworth, SFLAction exposed the actions of State Senator Tyler Pace who slow walked changes to the legislature’s omnibus package to protect life in 2021.
Pace stalled and stopped the pro-life bill until changes could be made to satisfy medical industry lobbyists. SFLAction exposed his actions through phone calls, personal texts, direct mail, and canvassing – consequentially, his voters chose his pro-life opponent in the primary.
Lastly, but certainly not least, is the win SFLAction saw when it came to Chemical Abortion legislation. Chemical Abortion Pills are rapidly increasing as they become the most common method for direct abortion, while their deadly nature for the preborn and harmful risk factors for women remain tremendously high.
As part of SFLAction’s legislative priorities, introducing Chemical Abortion bans has taken place in multiple states in partnership with great Pro-Life Champions willing to sponsor the legislation. When it came to Arizona, Rep. Joanne Osborne voted against SFLAction’s Chemical Abortion ban.
When Rep. Osborne tried to move up in her career to a seat in the State Senate, her vote on these deadly pills did not go forgotten by the Pro-Life Generation. Through rapid response and outreach, SFLAction was thrilled to see a new, pro-life leader win against Rep. Osborne after working to make widespread news about her vote against Chemical Abortion bans.
By collecting candidate surveys, tracking legislation and recorded votes, and lobbying on a regular basis, SFLAction saw seven wins for life in Arizona and we’re just getting started. The Grand Canyon state remains a high priority for SFLAction as we hope to protect the preborn from the moment of conception.