Salon.com > Phyllis Schlafly

Social conservatives slam RNC for supporting Rob Portman

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:03:00 +0000

Social conservatives told the RNC not to be "pandering idiots," after Chairman Reince Priebus stood by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who over the weekend came out in support of same-sex marriage.

From the National Review Online:

“I think [the RNC] should pretty much ignore him,” says Phyllis Schlafly, a longtime conservative activist, in an interview with National Review Online. “I think he has made a mistake, and he probably won’t get reelected.”

Ralph Reed, the founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, says the party has to be careful. “If the Republican party tries to retreat from being a pro-marriage, pro-family party, the big tent is going to become a pup tent very fast,” he says. “I am concerned that some in the party are going wobbly on this issue.”

Brian Brown, of the National Organization for Marriage, told NRO that Portman will now likely get a challenger in the primary. “This is a critical issue, and to act like it’s just no big deal is just wrong."

Conservative activists to GOP lawmakers: You are being tested

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:02:00 +0000

A group of big right-wing activists wrote an open letter to House and Senate Republicans, telling them they are "entering into a period of testing," wherein their conservative principles will be challenged and "the whole leftist apparatus is gearing up to panic you and to force you to cave in. Don’t do it."

The letter, posted by conservative columnist Morton Blackwell on RedState.com, urges lawmakers to be strong against the liberals' "current power grabs."

"If Republicans cave in now, when it really counts, next time you will be weaker, because your conservative base will be outraged," the letter says. "Many who worked hard to elect you in the past will never lift a finger for you again."

The letter concludes:

So it’s in the interest of the country and in your personal interest for you to use the power you unquestionably have now to stand firm and not surrender your conservative principles, no matter how loud the clamor of people whose central interest is to advance the left’s agenda.

Todd Akin’s Senate bid regains momentum

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:29:00 +0000

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Written off by many in his own party a mere month ago, Republican Rep. Todd Akin has been slowly rebuilding his Senate campaign after apologizing for inflammatory remarks about pregnancy and rape.

Now Akin is approaching a critical week that could determine whether his re-emerging campaign can gain enough momentum to put Missouri back in the battleground column as Republicans attempt to win control of the Senate from Democrats.

Tuesday is the deadline for Akin to get a court order to drop his challenge of Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. But Akin says he won't do so. Instead, Akin plans to ramp up his campaign. He's holding a fundraiser Monday with former Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. He's addressing a potentially influential group of pastors Tuesday morning. Then as the drop-out clock ticks down, he's kicking off a statewide bus tour for his Senate bid that will include venerable conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly.

"I believe the state of the campaign is looking better and better," Akin said Friday after engaging McCaskill in their first debate and then rallying on the Missouri Capitol lawn with supporters of a newly formed women-for-Akin coalition.

Abortion foes: We’re winning

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:00:00 +0000

TAMPA -- "For the first time in human history we have full taxpayer funding of abortion," Michele Bachmann said today at the "Treasure Life" luncheon held by the Republican National Coalition for Life and Family Research Council Action. She went on, "Never before have we seen a denial of our religious liberties. When President Obama told the Catholic Church they had to deny their sincerely held religious beliefs and take on his beliefs, that's not what our system of government is, that's not pro-life."

The "taxpayer funding" part is transparently false -- the Hyde Amendment, named after a congressman reverentially celebrated at the lunch today, prevents almost all federal funding of abortion, and the Obama administration hasn't changed a single thing about that, in the Affordable Care Act or elsewhere. No one else tried to make a similar claim, nor did anyone else seem particularly excited about that act's contraceptive coverage mandate, either -- it was the only time it came up.