In a field of largely outspoken GOP presidential candidates when it comes to defending the sanctity of life, few have gained more attention—both negative and positive—for their pro-life views than Carly Fiorina.
The lone candidate at January’s March for Life in Washington, D.C., Fiorina made it clear she is committed to a pro-life position that is all-encompassing, not only opposing abortion’s ever-expanding agenda, but supporting life-affirming pregnancy help.
“I have visited pregnancy centers around the country,” Fiorina said at the March. “They are doing God’s work, and they do not receive a dime of federal funding.”
Following her address at the March, Fiorina went on to reiterate that pregnancy centers give women real options, as opposed to Planned Parenthood’s abortion-centered business model.
“In a President Fiorina budget there will not be a dime of funding for Planned Parenthood, although we will fund women’s health in community health centers and pregnancy centers across the country,” she told Breitbart News.
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When a person is as consistently passionate about real choices for women, it’s likely there’s a personal story behind that fervor.
For Fiorina, there are two.
During a visit to the Cradle of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center of Mount Pleasant, Iowa in December, Fiorina told the painful story of accompanying a friend to Planned Parenthood in her early 20s.
“I remember they gave her no options,” she said. “And I remember what [abortion] did to her physically and emotionally. It was devastating. She was never the same.”
Fiorina, who has been outspoken in her support of pregnancy centers along with many of her fellow GOP contenders throughout her campaign, was one of five candidates to make a visit to the same South Carolina pregnancy center back in September.
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In her visit to Cradle of Hope PRC in Iowa, Fiorina recalled that her friend was very apprehensive about abortion and wanted more information. Planned Parenthood provided her no information and offered no alternative to abortion.
Her friend wasn’t feeling right about aborting, but she did it anyway.
“[Fiorina] had to drive her home and she cried the entire way,” Peggy Knudsen, Cradle of Hope’s director, said. “And from that moment on, [Fiorina] saw the effects on both sides as to what it does to the mother and the baby. One thing that stuck with her is that Planned Parenthood did not give her friend any information, didn’t answer questions, and was just very cold and quick.”
Fiorina’s friend never really got over the abortion, the presidential candidate said. But what if Fiorina had taken her friend to a pregnancy center that day? She would have received support, encouragement, and the help that would have allowed her to achieve her goals while giving her child life. And she wouldn’t have to live with the trauma and scars she does today.
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Another turning point in Fiorina’s life was learning that her husband, Frank, was targeted for abortion. His mother faced health complications while pregnant, and was advised to abort her son.
“She was a woman of great faith and courage and chose instead to bring her son into the world,” Fiorina said at the March for Life. “She spent almost a year in the hospital after his birth. But he was the joy of her life and he has been the rock of mine. I have thought often about how different my life would be if she had made a different choice.”
It’s clear from this statement that Fiorina understands that abortion isn’t just about the woman who is choosing to abort. It isn’t even just about the baby who is being killed. It’s about all of us. Each child killed by abortion would have been someone’s best friend, someone’s confidant, and someone’s spouse.
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When Fiorina supports life-affirming pregnancy centers, she’s supporting her 20-something year old friend—scared and helpless. She’s supporting her mother-in-law—resilient in her decision to choose life despite the risk to her own health.
And she’s helping preborn babies not only survive, but thrive and fulfill the purposes for which they were created.
