Largest Minnesota Pro-Life Organization Not Endorsing Any Candidate in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District - WHY??
Press Release
Minnesota's largest pro-life organization, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) has decided to not endorse either Dave Hughes or Collin Peterson for the 2018 midterms. There is some concerning pro-abortion history with Collin Peterson, and Dave Hughes has never held office, therefore doesn't have a voting record. Minnesota Pro-Life supporters are looking for a champion.
MCCL and Collin Peterson have had a rocky relationship in the last 6 years. In 2012, MCCL decided to not endorse in Congressional District 7 (CD7) due to pressure from Republican Candidate Lee Byberg. Byberg pressured MCCL since Peterson refused to vote to repeal Obamacare, which funds abortion. Byberg didn't get endorsed because he was a businessman, therefore had no voting record.
This lack of endorsement in 2012 lead to a little hiccup in the Peterson pro-life narrative. After a College Democrat event at Concordia College, Peterson was stopped outside by 2 female students. One young lady asked for a photo with Peterson, and the other pretended to take a photo with her cell phone, but in reality they were video-recording. The student that had her photo taken with Peterson asked him why MCCL didn't endorse him, and he said "Because I didn't vote to repeal Obamacare." And "The only place it got reported was MPR, and those people don't listen to MPR.", suggesting the lack of endorsement didn't matter, and suggesting pro-life voters don't listen to MPR so they didn't hear about the lack of endorsement. Peterson then said, "They are just a bunch of extremists anyways." Followed by, "This is the end of them as an organization." This made national news! The video is still available on youtube by searching "Collin Peterson Calls Pro-Life Movement Extremist".
In 2014 MCCL went no endorsement in the Peterson - Westrom match up because both had pro-life voting records, and yet Peterson had concerning votes against repealing Obamacare.
In 2016, MCCL endorsed Peterson over Hughes. Hughes pressed MCCL because by this time in over 60 Republican attempts to repeal Obamacare, Peterson refused to vote in favor of the repeal, therefore allowed our tax dollars to go towards abortion. Yet the endorsement was given. A lesson was learned that you have to be out front on this and fight for the endorsement, and maybe bring up old history.
In 2018, the Hughes campaign worked early to press the fact that not only now in over 70 attempts to repeal Obamacare has Peterson refused to vote in favor of repeal, he has voted numerous times for omnibus spending bills that funded Planned Parenthood. In addition, a look at Federal Election Commission reports, Peterson has given away tens of thousands of dollars of his campaign money to radically pro-abortion (and anti-gun for that matter) candidates (e.g. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, 2018). How can Peterson be pro-life if he funds the radically pro-abortion majority of his party? How can Peterson be pro-life and caucus with the most radically anti-life politicians in our nation? How can Peterson be truly pro-life and also a Super Delegate for Bernie Sanders who has a 100% rating with NARAL Pro-Choice America, and believes there should be no limits on abortion? How can Peterson be pro-life and yet endorse and campaign with an extreme anti-life candidate for Governor, by flying him around CD7 in his personal plane? Peterson is listed on the Tim Walz for Governor website as endorsing him, and social media accounts show Peterson and Walz photographed at Peterson's plane and at several CD7 events Peterson flew Walz to in our "rocks and cows" rural district.
Peterson endorsed former Planned Parenthood executive Tina Smith for the disgraced Al Franken seat. Smith worked as the VP of External Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. In the Star Tribune on Jan 20, 2018 just 2 weeks after being appointed to the Franken seat by Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach is quoted as saying, "Tina Smith doesn't just support abortion, she lobbied on its behalf. She worked to defeat any conceivable limitations on it. She was an executive for the state's abortion leader. She is the abortion senator." Peterson was quoted on the Minnpost website on December 14th, 2017 as saying about Smith, "She's a good gal," he said. "She seems to relate well to my constituents."
If you disagree with Peterson, please consider voting for Dave Hughes on November 6th. Peterson's rocky road of promotion, supporting, and funding of the abortion cause has eliminated his backing from MCCL.
Hughes has a 100% rating with MCCL and will be a defender of life as your next Congressman. He will have a strong pro-life voting record, and he will lead on the issue.
Hughes is a political outsider, US Air Force retired pilot, officer and Iraqi War Vet. Hughes' defense of life is unwavering, defending American life in the armed forces for over 21 years. Hughes defends life from conception until natural death, and will be a pro-life leader in the US House, promising to submit an amendment to the US Constitution to end human abortion.
Hughes is a husband, and father to 7 children, including a daughter that was a special needs adoption from China. Hughes has been dedicated to the pro-life cause his whole life, most recently walking with his family in the 2017 MCCL Walk for Life at the capitol on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, and a 2018 march and prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood in 2018.
Once elected Hughes will be a strong partner with MCCL and the National Right to Life organizations. Hughes will be a champion of the pro-life cause. Hughes will never fund or endorse pro-choice candidates, vote to fund Planned Parenthood, cast aspersions on pro-life groups, and he is completely dedicated to completely repealing Obamacare including abortion provisions. Hughes is the pro-life champion Congressional District 7 of Minnesota is looking for.
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