But in spite of all these issues, I will fight and stay, not only because this party, which is meant to fight for the little guy, is my natural home, but because if we leave, the pro-abortion extremism of the 2020 Democratic Party will worsen. I want to show to the leadership of the Democratic Party not only that pro-life principles are consistent with compassionate Democratic ideals, but that the votes of 21 million Democrats cannot be taken for granted.

I won’t stop defending the Democratic Party, the party of the living wage, health care, and pro-family policies. But I won’t give it a free pass on the human rights of a vulnerable group of human beings. I’m not calling on other pro-life Democrats to walk away. I’m calling on them to work with me in putting pressure on our presidential candidates to work for us—not for the abortion industry.

Do I expect these candidates to become pro-life in a day? No. But I do believe we have the numbers to force these candidates into a corner on the whole life causes supported by most Americans: opposing late-term abortion, expanding paid parental leave, and prohibiting public funding of abortion, for example.