Prolife PAC Provides Voice for the Voiceless

Right to Life of Michigan's Political Action Director Larry Galmish shares about the RLM-PAC endorsement process and the role the PAC plays.

Throughout its existence, the RLM-PAC has been guided by time-tested, carefully-developed bylaws which outline the criteria which candidates must meet in order to be endorsed. These bylaws also guide the state PAC board when making a final decision on candidates.

In some races, all candidates will meet the RLM-PAC endorsement criteria, in which case no specific candidate will be endorsed. Rather, the RLM-PAC will stay out of the race and declare that all candidates meet criteria.

Unfortunately, some races with multiple candidates will include at least one who does not meet our criteria along with several who do. In these races, the RLM-PAC bylaws require the endorsement of a single prolife candidate who does meet the endorsement criteria. The reason? To try to unite the prolife vote behind one candidate and prevent a split among many, thus allowing the pro-abortion candidate to win. Unfortunately, unification of the vote doesn't always occur, but common sense dictates this to be the right course of action.

Interviews are conducted with each of the candidates - interviews in which the candidates lay out their very sensitive campaign strategies and efforts to win. Only after these interviews are conducted does the state PAC board vote to endorse the one candidate they believe has the best chance of defeating the candidate who does not meet the PAC criteria. This can often be a hard decision because there may be multiple candidates with stellar prolife voting records. These decisions are not made lightly nor are they based on personal feelings.

The state PAC board members, all of whom are volunteers from around the state, are also aware that their decision may not be popular among the supporters of those candidates who do not receive the endorsement. However, they also know that NOT making a decision would only encourage a bigger split in the prolife vote and a potential loss for the unborn - their only consideration.

This year's Republican primary provided a perfect example of the feared split among prolife voters - four solid prolife candidates and one who is not prolife but ran as one. This prompted a great deal of discussion about Right to Life of Michigan PAC's endorsement decision. Rumors have abounded - that the RLM-PAC had an agreement with the Chamber of Commerce or that a large donation was promised or received from certain donors or that somehow religion played a part. All of these rumors are just that - and are categorically and completely false in every respect. The RLM-PAC board members' integrity in following the endorsement guidelines cannot be bought.

FULL STORY