Federalist Radio Hour

Episode: The Pro-Life Roadmap To Midterms Victory
Host: Matt Kittle
Guest: Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of Susan B. Anthony Pro Life America
Date: March 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this edition of the Federalist Radio Hour, host Matt Kittle sits down with Marjorie Dannenfelser to discuss the state of the pro-life movement headed into the critical 2026 midterm elections. Focusing on both strategy and policy, they examine the challenges facing the movement post-Dobbs, the impact of abortion drugs, ground game tactics, political motivations, and what’s at stake for pro-life voters and the nation.

Key Discussion Points

1. Pro-Life Electoral Strategy & Mobilization

Timestamps: [02:16], [32:56]

• Grassroots Mobilization: Marjorie credits success to "incredible grassroots canvassers and true believers on the ground" who connect directly with persuadable voters—weathering everything from "Wisconsin cold, [to the] Arizona heat" ([02:48]).
• Sustained Ground Game: The movement has honed its voter outreach strategy since 2014, leveraging both personal interactions and multiple communication channels (mail, digital, text).
• 2026 Investment: Susan B. Anthony Pro Life America plans to spend around $80 million in Senate, gubernatorial, and House battlegrounds ([04:20]).
• Personal Connection: Door-to-door canvassers engage in "the most deeply human conversation you could have," addressing both moral questions and personal experiences with abortion ([32:56]).

“We’ve been able to really kind of hone our skills and, and really perfect something that was really important... to leverage all of that wisdom, all of that passion into elections.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([03:28])

2. Motivating Pro-Life Voters After Dobbs

Timestamps: [05:24], [09:36]

• Trump & Post-Presidential Midterms: Kittle and Dannenfelser discuss challenges in motivating "low propensity" pro-life voters with Trump off the ballot ([04:39]).
• Regulatory Setbacks: The Biden administration's relaxation of abortion drug rules has lessened enthusiasm, as these drugs now undermine state-level pro-life laws ([05:24]).
• Political and Human Toll: The "jubilation" of Dobbs was quickly followed by "exhaustion" and a "robbing of that success" through proliferation of abortion drugs, which Dannenfelser describes as "a horror in her own home" for women ([09:36]).

“We created a great possibility, a great opportunity. But now that incredible success is being directly threatened by the flow of abortion drugs with absolutely no oversight.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([05:24])

3. Abortion Pills and Federal vs State Power

Timestamps: [12:51], [17:26]

• Legislative Action: Dannenfelser highlights recent legislative pushes, such as collaborating with Senator Josh Hawley on a bill aiming to restrict or revoke FDA approval of abortion drugs and restore in-person dispensing ([12:51]).
• State Sovereignty Undermined: The hosts argue that blue-state governors (e.g., Gavin Newsom) are effectively overriding the pro-life laws of other states by facilitating cross-border access to abortion drugs ([17:26]).
• Constitutional Implications: Dannenfelser calls this a "direct violation of the Constitution," framing it as a matter of states' rights and federalism ([18:22]).

“It means that Gavin Newsom is in charge of the laws of Alabama and South Carolina and Georgia and every other state that has a pro life law.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([18:22])

4. National Sentiment and Party Positions

Timestamps: [23:56], [28:32], [30:14]

• Democratic Party Stance: The discussion delves into the "arrogant" and unyielding pro-choice position of Democratic leaders, referencing Newsom and others ([23:56]).
• Public Opinion: Polls are cited showing that while around 60% of U.S. adults support legal abortion in all or most cases, about 76% want at least some restrictions ([30:14]).
• Limits and Incremental Change: The importance of starting with consensus restrictions, such as late-term bans or opposing taxpayer-funded abortion, is emphasized as the way most Americans approach the issue ([30:14]).

“As much as many of us want to have it all, we have to start somewhere because not everybody agrees with us... you try to gain, you go where you make a law, where consensus is.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([30:30])

5. The Pro-Life “Roadmap” and Looking Ahead to 2028

Timestamps: [41:43], [45:10]

• Eyes on Iowa and South Carolina: Early primary states are positioned as crucial for both 2026 and 2028 in shaping the pro-life agenda and presidency ([41:43]).
• Candidate Accountability: There is concern that pro-life voters might punish Republicans seen as insufficiently supportive, which could affect down-ballot races ([42:41]).
• Risks of Losing Congress: Dannenfelser stresses the stakes: losing the House or Senate could result in sweeping national abortion rights legislation that would pre-empt state protections ([45:10]).

“The consequences are not medium for a midterm. They're still very strong... they will absolutely press if they've got the House, Senate and presidency immediately, they will pass a law that will strike down every pro life protection in every state across the country.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([47:10])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Motivation after Dobbs:

"There is an exhale that I think many people experienced. And they were kind of looking for that moment where they could finally just not have to pay attention so much anymore... Within two years, it robbed the victory."
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([09:36])

On Federal Drug Regulation:

“The combination of compelling motivate, beautiful words and zero action is callousness towards the issue, which is very hard to see.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([14:48])

On Democratic Leadership:

“He’s like the arrogant student government president that doesn’t hear and never look you in your face... He just sees a crowd, not any individuals in the crowd.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser on Gavin Newsom ([23:56])

On the Ground Game:

“Everybody who’s going to door has a tablet... you nag like a mama: Did you vote? Did you vote? Until you know that they voted.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([37:05])

On the Importance of Iowa and South Carolina:

“We are and will be in Iowa and South Carolina for quite some time.”
— Marjorie Dannenfelser ([41:43])

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [02:16] — Introduction to grassroots mobilization efforts and successes since 2014.
• [09:36] — Impact of abortion pills post-Dobbs and the resulting "exhale" among activists.
• [12:51] — Dannenfelser's statements from a recent press conference with Senator Josh Hawley.
• [17:26]-[18:22] — Federal vs. state power: How abortion pills cross state lines and constitutional arguments.
• [23:56] — Sentiment about current national and Democratic leadership on abortion rights.
• [30:14] — Discussion of polling, consensus, and incremental policy goals for the movement.
• [32:56], [37:05] — Details of the pro-life ground game, including technology and personal conversations.
• [41:43]-[45:10] — Midterm stakes, 2028 presidential strategies, implications of losing Congress.

Tone and Style

The conversation is urgent, personal, and deeply engaged with both political strategy and moral conviction. Both speakers blend policy analysis with storytelling, faith, and lived experience—as well as the occasional light-hearted aside and sports metaphor to keep the tone accessible.

Summary Takeaways

• The pro-life movement has professionalized its voter outreach and is investing heavily in contested races for 2026, adapting to changing technology and voter habits.
• Motivation of the base is challenged by the current administration’s permissive stance on abortion drugs and lack of policy movement at the federal level.
• The loss of the House or Senate could result in sweeping national policies that would override current state-level pro-life gains.
• There’s a concerted effort to educate, mobilize, and have real conversations with voters, leveraging both digital and analog strategies.
• Iowa and South Carolina will continue to be central to shaping the 2028 presidential field as well as the trajectory of the nation’s abortion policy.

For listeners and activists alike, this episode offers a candid window into the evolving pro-life playbook as the 2026 midterms approach—and positions the movement’s fight as not only political but also deeply personal and cultural.