March for Life Education & Defense Fund announced the speaking lineup for the 52nd annual March for Life in the nation’s capital, which will be headlined by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on the heels of his defeat of a major pro-abortion amendment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) -- The March for Life Education & Defense Fund announced the speaking lineup for the 52nd annual March for Life in the nation’s capital that will be headlined by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, all speaking under the theme “Life: Why We March.”
“Our goal this year is to remind and reignite everyone – politicians, legislators, families, and women – in the truth that every life, unborn and born, has inherent dignity, meaning, and value, and as such is always worth fighting for,” the organization said in its press release. “Our speakers will serve as witnesses to emphasizes (sic) the joy and beauty of life, and the dedication of the pro-life movement.”
From his time in Congress through his governorship, DeSantis has established a consistently pro-life record, most recently by leading the charge to defeat a proposed amendment that would have declared abortion a "right" in the Florida Constitution, overcoming more than $40 million in spending by out-of-state activists.
To defeat the amendment, DeSantis launched a new PAC to fight it, investigated reported fraud used to collect the signatures that put it on the ballot, lobbied other Florida Republicans to speak up, had the state health department disseminate the real facts about both current law and the amendment, and declared a statewide day of prayer for Florida’s pro-life protections.
READ: Florida pro-abortion group behind failed amendment pays heavy fines over fraud allegations
“The American pro-life movement can learn a great deal from the example of Governor DeSantis,” Charlotte Lozier Institute statistician Dr. Michael New said. “He demonstrated the best leadership of any pro-life elected official facing an abortion ballot proposition.”
Other speakers include Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, pro-life surfer Bethany Hamilton, obstetrician Dr. Catherine Wheeler, abortion survivor Josiah Presley, Live Action president Lila Rose, Mama Bear Care CEO Beverly Jacobson, incoming March for Life president Jennie Bradley Lichter, and more.
The March for Life, originally launched a half-century ago to protest Roe v. Wade, enters its 52nd year amid a period of uncertainty. The overturn of Roe has given the pro-life movement an unprecedented opportunity to advance the cause, yet Republicans faced setbacks in the 2022 election and returning President Donald Trump made a sharp turn away from the pro-life stance of his first term.
With the 2024 election delivering a strong rebuke of Democrats’ emphasis on abortion, it remains to be seen how exactly Republicans will pursue federal pro-life objectives in the new year.
