Salem, OR—The pro-life movement in Oregon demonstrated its strength in the 2022 Primary Election with several high-profile victories. Oregon Right to Life PAC endorsed or recommended 80 candidates in this primary election, most of whom won their races or qualified for run-offs in November.
“The pro-life field in this primary election was impressive, and we are confident in their ability to succeed in the fall,” said Lois Anderson, Oregon Right to Life executive director.
Christine Drazan appears to have won the gubernatorial race emerging from a competitive field of strong candidates. In Lane County, Ryan Ceniga and David Loveall have slight leads in highly contested commissioner races. Any lead in Lane County constitutes a significant pro-life win. Early ballot counts indicate that Mary Starrett is set to hold her position on the Yamhill County Commission without a run-off in November. Starrett previously won in 2014 and 2018.
Anderson continued, “The pro-life wins in non-partisan contests substantiate what we’ve been saying for years: Oregonians don’t support the extreme abortion policies currently in place. It’s time to reflect this widespread consensus in Oregon law.”
The primary election ended two weeks after the leak of a draft opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court case. If the draft opinion holds, the Court will overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Such a decision would return authority to state governments to enact regulation. The leak brought abortion to the forefront of conversation during the final stretch of the primary.
