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House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl has helped spearhead plenty of conservative bills through the Iowa House. He has a reputation for being one of the more notable “conservatives” in the House.

But his endorsement of Rep. Jane Bloomingdale is inexcusable and a betrayal of the conservative voters in his House district. Plain and simple. And it should cost him votes in his primary election. The Iowa Standard would have no choice but to vote for Rebecca Wilkerson in that Iowa House primary considering the facts of his endorsement and Bloomingdale’s record.

Let’s examine a couple of key votes from Bloomingdale on the life issue.

First, she voted against the Heartbeat Bill. She voted against providing any legal protections at all for unborn babies who have a detectable heartbeat. She sided with the Democrats for the destruction of innocent unborn human life.

Second, she was a no to the Protect Life Amendment in 2020. She is one of a handful of Republican “no’s” who kept the bill from even being voted for on the floor of the Iowa House. This delayed the amendment process since any proposed constitutional amendment must pass two general assemblies before it can go to a vote of Iowans.

Third, she voted against the Protect Life Amendment in 2021. Again, a legislator’s vote for or against this amendment doesn’t have to be viewed necessarily as a vote for or against the amendment, but can be considered whether a legislator believes their constituents deserve to have a voice in their own state constitution. Bloomingdale voted against the unborn and she voted against Iowans having a say on whether the Iowa Constitution includes a right to an abortion.

Fourth, she didn’t vote at all on a 20-week abortion ban.

So let’s be clear, Bloomingdale is not pro-life.

Also consider Windschitl’s position in the Republican caucus. He is leadership. He calls bills to the floor. So, if he wanted in 2020, he could have brought the life amendment to the floor for a vote and exposed who the “no” votes were from Republicans so Iowans could know which Republicans were working against the pro-life agenda.

But instead he let the bill die.

Because this amendment didn’t pass in 2020, it is unlikely the Iowa legislature will do anything on abortion until 2025 at the earliest regardless of what happens with Roe v. Wade this summer. Considering 4,000 babies in Iowa are aborted each year, that means 10,000 babies will have no protections because of this inaction between the time Roe is potentially struck down and the time Iowans vote on this proposed constitutional amendment.

Windschitl addressed his endorsement of the anti-life Bloomingdale and, instead of being honest with his constituents and confessing, he doubled down. Windschitl said that Bloomingdale is personally pro-life, she just can’t or doesn’t believe in voting that way on public policy.

You know who else says stuff like that? Democrats. Hillary Clinton. Joe Biden.

Friendships do not matter more than policies. Relationships don’t trump principles. Not for statesmen.

Iowa already has enough politicians, we need statesmen at this point.

It would be one thing if Windschitl had endorsed Bloomingdale and owned up to her pro-abortion voting record. It would be another had he endorsed her and apologized. But the fact he endorsed her (strike one) and doubled down by saying she is personally pro-life (strike two) is a classic example of “fool me once, shame on you…fool me twice, shame on me.”

Then, a third strike came for good measure. Windschitl endorsed Rep. Dustin Hite, chair of the House Education Committee and vocal opponent of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Education Savings Accounts plan.

Knowing what I know about Windschitl when he first ran for office, I don’t believe these are endorsements he would’ve made prior to spending 16 years in Des Moines. I don’t believe he would have endorsed an anti-life Republican or an anti-school choice Republican.

But the fact is, now he did.

His endorsements do not represent his district. His district is pro-life. His district is pro-school choice.

His endorsements are not.

Voters in that House District should send a clear message to Windschitl, House Republicans and others — do not cross the pro-life movement among Iowa Republicans.

It should come with consequences.

If winning with Windschitl means anti-life Republicans get re-elected, then the pro-life movement loses with Windschitl.

Pro-life voters should take a long, hard look at this situation. They should vote for Rebecca Wilkerson.

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