In a move that has seemingly backfired, Democratic Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto decided to take a shot at one of the largest pro-life groups in America for backing her opponent.
In an attack ad aimed at GOP Senate nominee Adam Laxalt, Cortez Masto accused National Right to Life of being an “extremist group” that is pushing lawmakers to pass a “nationwide abortion ban.”
“They’re behind Adam Laxalt too, and he’s proud to have their endorsement,” the ad says. “They want no exceptions for rape or incest and said a 10-year-old rape victim should be forced to have the baby, and Adam Laxalt promised to join in their fight if elected.”
.@AdamLaxalt proudly touts his endorsement from National Right to Life, an extremist group that opposes a woman’s right to choose – without exception for rape or incest.
Nevada is a pro-choice state, and we’re not going to let him drag us backwards. pic.twitter.com/n6sYiF9phg
— Catherine Cortez Masto (@CortezMasto) October 11, 2022
National Right to Life responded to Cortez Masto’s charges in a statement to Blaze Media.
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“National Right to Life does not want babies to die and supports measures to support the lives of mothers and their unborn children. Catherine Cortez Masto is the extremist who wants unlimited abortion even late in pregnancy and paid for by taxpayer dollars.”
NRL was founded in 1968 and calls itself the oldest and largest pro-life advocacy organization in America.
The group went on to debunk Cortez Masto’s claims that it wants a national abortion ban with no exceptions, explaining that the legislation it supports would limit abortion to 15 weeks gestation. The bill would also carry exceptions for “situations involving rape, incest, or risks to the life and physical health of the mother.”
NRL concluded by pointing out that it is actually Cortez Masto’s views that are out of the mainstream, stating that “in poll after poll, the vast majority of Americans consistently oppose abortions after the 3rd month of pregnancy.” A 2019 survey found that even those who identify as pro-choice are still very much against late-term abortions.
Laxalt himself took the opportunity to take his opponent to task in an Op-Ed for the Reno Gazette Journal.
Is National Right to Life an extremist group?
“[Cortez Masto] has consistently voted to allow the barbaric procedure of late-term abortion, up to the point of live birth, even forcing you, the taxpayer, to fund this infanticide,” Laxalt said.
“This unconscionable position of killing a full-term baby is indefensible, so naturally, Cortez Masto and her allies are spending millions of dollars in campaign ads trying to deflect from it and make you believe in a falsehood that I would support a federal ban on abortion as a U.S. senator, or that I am somehow ‘anti-woman’ because I value, support and defend life at all stages.”
Others criticized Cortez Masto’s claim that NRL is an “extremist group.”
“An ‘extremist group’? National Right to Life was organized by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). [Its] former president met with Pope John Paul II. Just so we’re clear on who Cortez Masto is calling an ‘extremist group,’” GOP strategist Matt Wolking tweeted.
“NRTL is an extremist group? OMG. [Were] they founded by an unrepentant racist who advocated targeting minority communities with eugenics and abortion!? Oh wait…that was Planned Parenthood,” Virginia state Rep. Nick Freitas said.
