The Susan B. Anthony List is the nation’s number one organization dedicated to putting pro-life candidates in office. And it has been enormously successful in recent years.
A not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization with almost 80,000 members, the Susan B. Anthony List was founded in 1992 in response to an overwhelming pro-abortion presence in Congress. Started by a group of concerned women of various political affiliations, it was and continues to be their belief that the strong pro-abortion contingent in Washington does not accurately reflect the convictions of most American women. Named after the famous 19th century feminist (who opposed abortion as degrading to women), the Susan B. Anthony List’s main goal is to help elect more pro-life women to Congress.
They have accomplished this mainly through education of women voters, pro-life legislation lobbying and successful campaign training of staff of political candidates. The Susan B. Anthony List also financially contributes to candidates through the help of its members and supporters. Just this past year each endorsed candidate received an average of $15,000.
The Susan B. Anthony List’s feats are many. In 1998, their efforts guaranteed eight pro-life incumbents’ return to Congress. In 2000, there were nine new pro-life members of Congress. And in 2002, the SBA List won 22 out of 32 races. The number of pro-life women in Congress leaped from 7 to 12—a 71% increase.
A large part of their recent success is due to the 2002 Pilot program. This mail and telephone campaign targeted “casual” women voters who voted in the 2000 Presidential election but not in the non-presidential elections of 1998. The 2002 Pilot “Get Out The Vote” program was created in response to the Emily’s List campaign of 2000. Emily’s List, the largest pro-abortion group involved in the 2000 elections, managed to turn out eight million pro-abortion votes and defeat three pro-life Senators.
The 2002 Pilot program energized “casual” women voters by getting them to identify “their” issue. One issue they targeted was parental consent. “Casual” women voters were sent an eye-catching postcard featuring a young woman with tattoos up her arms. It stated: “A child can’t get a real tattoo without your consent…But she can have an abortion!” Another stunning mailer concentrated on the unborn victims issue. It said “Not just a horrible crime…Two Horrible Crimes.” The cover featured a chalk outline of the victim as used in crime scenes, and then following, a second chalk outline in the form of a baby inside the larger outline of the victim. The 2002 Pilot program focused their campaign on three key election states and as a result, all three SBA List candidates won.
The SBA List also educates countless Americans through their nationwide radio campaign. Their “One-Minute Commentary” Public Service Announcements are aired on 826 Christian and secular radio stations throughout the United States.
During a visit to the SBA List website one can email their Member of Congress and instantly become involved in the pro-life battle.
The Susan B. Anthony List
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 285
Alexandria, VA 22314
Telephone (703) 683-5558
www.sba-list.org
Catholic League president William Donohue has nothing but good things to say about the organization: “The fight against the culture of death must be fought on several fronts. One of the most important fronts is the Congress. The Susan B. Anthony List has done more than any organization in the nation to help secure the victory of pro-life candidates. It is a group that deserves the support of all Catholics.”
