ROCKFORD - Wednesday night, outside a fundraising event for GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner, two dozen with the Rockford Pro-Life Initiative held signs and urged Rauner to be concerned about abortion in Illinois.
The group reports that several Republicans thanked them for being there and conveyed they would speak with the candidate about his stand on abortion while inside the event.
Former Winnebago County GOP chairman Jan Klaas told Illinois Review she had a moment to ask Rauner his position on abortion-related issues, and he assured her that he would oppose any attempt to repeal parental notification. He also conveyed that he wanted women's health to be protected, so as governor, he would make sure current abortion clinic regulations were enforced.
And while she would have liked to have heard stronger pro-life stances, "Overall," Klaas said, "he assured me that Illinois social conservatives would be better off with him as governor than with Pat Quinn."
Earlier this year, Rauner called on the current Winnebago County GOP chairman to step down after he published a joke in the organization's newsletter that some found offensive. Chairman Jim Thompson remains as Winnebago County GOP's head, and was not listed as a co-host of the Rockford fundraiser.
Prolifers reported on their website Thursday that they were joined outside the Giovanni's fundraiser by "progressives" connected to public sector unions.
"All the signs the progressives held concerned money or money related issues," Rockford Pro-Life Initiaive reported. "All the signs the pro-lifers held had to do with the protection of innocent human life and love for God and neighbor."
"The progressives arrived after the pro-lifers and stayed only long enough to be interviewed by the local news media," they reported on their website. "Within five minutes of the news media putting away their cameras, union members and their progressive supporters had all gotten into their cars and left."
The group says they're committed to protecting innocent life, no matter what party or politician they have to go up against.
"No matter if it is a pro-abortion Quinn, Rauner, or Obama; no matter if it is our secular progressive culture of death that places its own selfish economic gains and sexual perversion over the lives of the poor, weak, and innocent; those who love and follow Christ will always stand against them and by the grace of Jesus Christ will outlast and out live, both in history and eternity, those who destroy human life and love."
Members of the Rockford Pro-Life Initiative picketed outside a Rauner fundraiser Wednesday
