The message above should appear all over the country, wherever pro-life activists gather. For many years, they have hoped (in a vague sort of way) that more Democrats would be pro-life. Few, though, have done much to make that actually happen, and those who tried often lacked support from other pro-lifers. Yet if they receive enough money and volunteer help, pro-life Democrats should be able to establish a strong presence in the Democratic Party. The group called Democrats for Life of America has been trying to do this, but it needs far more financial and volunteer help.

This writer is a political independent who believes that the pro-life movement should not be owned by any political party. Instead, it should work to keep the Republicans pro-life and to increase by leaps and bounds the numbers of pro-life Democrats. Strongly pro-life Democratic candidates are needed at every level—from city council member to presidential candidate. Think of the difference that just one good pro-life candidate could make in the Democrats’ presidential debates! At the congressional level, some pro-life Democratic candidates could focus on conservative and rural areas. Others could make challenges on liberal turf—stressing the longtime Democratic tradition of standing up for little people. “We’re pro-woman and pro-child!” might be a good slogan.

To some prolifers, all of this might sound like daydreaming. But they should think about the great work done in the Republican Party by pro-life leaders and volunteers at national, state, and local levels. Why not duplicate that work on the Democratic side?

In addition to a pro-life Democratic presidential candidate, there is a need for hundreds of candidates at the congressional level. Initially, the greatest emphasis should be placed on states where there is major pro-life strength already, but no state should be written off. Abortion-supporting incumbents should face challengers who are well-prepared, well-supported financially, and sustained by boatloads of volunteers. The challenging candidates must know how to emphasize the joys of children and the hope they bring to all of us—a point overlooked in many abortion debates.

The pro-life movement has become far too dependent on the Republican Party. Republicans have done a great deal to defend unborn children, but they cannot win every election. When they lose the presidency—or even one house of Congress—it becomes much harder to defend the unborn. There is a great need for many strong pro-life candidates in Democratic Party primaries and conventions. There should never be another Democratic presidential race like the current one, where all of the candidates support abortion. The goal must be a campaign in which all of them defend and celebrate life. Of course, it will take an enormous effort just to begin turning the Democrats around, but prolifers know all about hard work and how to do it.