The 2022 midterm elections are exactly three weeks away. On November 8, voters will go to the polls in all 50 states to choose the next 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 35 senators, 36 governors, numerous statewide and local races, as well as the fate of various ballot measures.

In fact, voters in several states have already begun voting, whether through in-person early voting or via vote-by-mail; two million people have already voted.

When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision on June 24, 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization which overturned Roe v. Wade, many pro-abortion candidates – though disappointed at the decision – were relieved. They felt that the decision would galvanize pro-abortion voters to support them.

In contrast, pro-life candidates became very nervous. Several candidates for federal office quietly updated their campaign websites and backed away from their previous statements in support of federal laws protecting preborn babies from the moment of conception.

These moves are tragically misguided.

Pro-life candidates should embrace, not shy away from, their pro-life values – and they should do so for several reasons.

First, favoring protections for preborn Americans is the right thing to do.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its June Dobbs decision, the Left seized upon the issue in what it hoped would be a pivotal midterm election issue. As recently as this week, for example, President Joe Biden promised to send a bill to Congress on the anniversary of the 1973 Roe decision in January that would enshrine abortion into federal law, if only enough pro-abortion candidates could be elected to both houses of Congress to ensure its passage.

Multiple pollsters are currently showing that the issue of abortion isn’t high on the list of voters’ concerns, however, as economic issues once again appear to be preeminent in the minds of those who will be casting their ballots this November.

CBS News reports the results of its own polling on the subject of abortion as a disappointment for pro-abortion candidates:

“For two months the Democrats chipped away at the Republicans’ lead in the battle for House control, helped by motivated abortion-rights voters and what turned out to be fleeting glimmers of optimism about the economy. But that momentum has stalled, at least for now, and the Republicans’ House lead has stabilized today at 224 seats to the Democrats’ 211.”

The Washington Examiner, reporting on the results of a New York Times/Sienna College poll, said, “But as of mid-October, nearly every data point trotted out to show that abortion was going to sink Republicans has evaporated.”

On Tuesday’s Focus on the Family Broadcast, Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and former Focus board member, encourages all Christians to get out and vote in the upcoming midterm elections.

Dr. Mohler speaks with Focus President Jim Daly about the importance of voting, and how Christians can influence society towards the Common Good.

“It is government’s responsibility to respect and protect unborn life and the institution of marriage,” Mohler said.

“If you are an American citizen, then you are voting one way or the other. God’s given you the stewardship of the vote and if you don’t use it, you’re just strengthening every vote against what you would say you stand for,” he added. “If you’re not voting your convictions, if you just stay out of the process, you’re actually giving additional weight to the votes against your convictions.”

Daly and Mohler also discussed five measure that are on several states’ ballots this fall, including in California, Montana, Kentucky, Michigan and Vermont. You can read the Daily Citizen’s summary of the ballot measures here. Speaking of the overturning of Roe, and the fight to protect preborn life, Mohler pointed out, “Now we’ve got 50 battles in 50 states.”

“There is big money in abortion. There is huge money by the hundreds of millions of dollars in abortion. And what a tragic reality it is that abortion is a death industry in this country,” Dr. Mohler said.