By Emily Wood Hawley

While we celebrate winning the electoral and popular vote for the Trump-Vance ticket and a Republican trifecta in the White House and both houses of Congress during this election cycle, we also lament over the precious souls that will be lost in the states that removed virtually all protections for an entire class of people — the unborn.

It is possible for joy and sorrow to coexist. We rejoice over unprecedented victories and the defeat of three state amendments that would have legalized unfettered abortion, but at the same time, we mourn over the seven states voting to codify a “right” to abortion until birth into law. 

The American people resoundingly defeated the Harris-Walz ticket whose main issue was unrestricted abortion, and because of this historic defeat, countless lives will be spared. But in the 10 states where life or death was on the ballot, abortion amendments were defeated in only three states (Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota). Tragically, voters voted to make unrestricted abortion a “right” in the other seven states — Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York.

Two things can be true at once, and for the 2024 election, this is the case, as we saw evil both restrained and promoted. An evil, pro-death Harris-Walz ticket was defeated, but evil, pro-death laws that enshrine a “right” to abortion throughout pregnancy were passed in seven states.

Changing Hearts, Saving Lives

Florida made history being the first state to defeat an abortion amendment post-Dobbs. Over six million voters (57% of the vote) voted to enshrine the “right” to abortion into law with nearly 43% of voters defeating the abortion amendment. Thankfully the abortion amendment (Amendment 4) was defeated since the threshold for amendments to pass in Florida is 60%, but it is concerning and shameful that most Florida voters voted for (or were deceived into voting for) unrestricted abortion to become a permanent fixture in the state constitution.

In Nebraska and South Dakota, the other two states where abortion amendments were defeated, 51% and over 58% of voters voted against the amendments, respectively. 

For states like Missouri, however, the abortion amendment passed with not quite 52% of the vote (less than that of Florida) due to the simple majority threshold. Missouri once had a near-total abortion ban, but now, all of its pro-life laws will be stripped with the passage of the amendment that established “a right to abortion at any time of pregnancy.”

Following a similar pattern, Colorado’s amendment passed with 62% of the vote, Maryland’s passed with almost 76% of the vote, Montana’s passed with 58% of the vote, Nevada’s passed with 64% of the vote (but would require a second vote in 2026 to fully pass), and New York’s passed with almost 62% of the vote.

Sure, each of the amendments was deceptively worded to sway voters into siding with abortion, but what does it say about the heart of our nation that these “right to kill” amendments are, at large, making it off the ballot and into state constitutions? 

Even in the three states where the abortion amendments failed, a large swath of the population still voted to legalize killing babies until birth. The deeper issue comes down to spiritual blindness and seared consciences on the life issue for the millions of Americans who voted for abortion in their state. 

Planned Parenthood and its abortion allies will not relent in their attempts to enshrine baby murder into law across the country. The fight has only just begun, and we cannot stop seeking to change hearts and minds about abortion, and in turn, saving lives. 

Gaining Ground for Life

Up until this election, the pro-life movement was zero for seven in abortion ballot initiatives, so the good news is that we’re gaining ground in that there were three pro-life wins. 

In Florida, we were outspent roughly 10-to-1 by the pro-abortion side in Amendment 4 efforts. But thanks to pastors who engaged their congregations, impassioned grassroots efforts, and a governor who wasn’t afraid to speak out, we achieved a narrow victory for life and defeated Amendment 4. This is, but on an even greater scale, what it takes to win. 

Abortion is a stain on the soul of our nation and the most atrocious human rights abuse of our time. We can’t stop our fight against this abomination until it is illegal and unthinkable.

We must educate Americans on the gruesome reality of abortion, advocate for preborn lives, support mothers and their babies, defend those who can’t defend themselves, mobilize pastors and churches to speak out against abortion, and pray for hearts to be softened and minds to be changed. 

The fall of Roe v. Wade was only the starting line for the pro-life movement now that abortion is up to the whims of the electorate. As we celebrate a win on some fronts, we must keep our eyes on the prize, knowing that there is much more work to be done in protecting innocent lives from destruction.

In the words of a favorite hymn of mine, “Shout on, pray on, we’re gaining ground!” 

Let us always be on guard and go forward in victory, fighting for the rights and equal protection of human lives yet to be born.

Emily Wood Hawley is a communications specialist and writer for Liberty Counsel and Liberty Counsel Action.