Editor's Note: The following is a submission received during our Pro-Choice Republican Essay Contest. We are delighted to feature the voices of Republican voters who shake off party orthodoxy and embrace pro-choice principles. Their views, of course, are theirs alone, and don't necessarily reflect those of the site.

I once considered myself a Republican, a conservative, a proud American. What I did not realize until recently is that according to current Republican framework, I am not even really a Republican. I am a pro-choice moderate, business orientated and educated. I am a religious person who believes in a separation of church and state. I cannot help but consider myself a Republican, but am angry and disappointed that what was once my party really is no more.  

I am 52 years old and I remember the time before Reagan and before this aggressive movement to the right. As I have seen the damage caused by the current administration, and the religious influence surrounding what is occurring, I have become less interested in organized religion and more personal about my beliefs. I am greatly offended when we are told this is a Christian nation and it is implied that all others are secondary, interlopers or non-existent on the radar screen.

I am sadly not optimistic that this anti-choice religious trend in politics will go away any time soon. Organized religion does not encourage science, independent thought, and choice, at least not the religion that has permeated the Republican Party and is working on taking over our nation. Science and education, responsible sex education has no place in a society governed by spiritual interpretation served up to support one belief or another to the masses. Women having choice, the control over their own bodies? Unheard of -- sadly there's no recognition of women as being capable of choice, having the moral fortitude to make their own decisions and the respect for that independence. I am very capable of making my own decisions about my own body and I don't know too many other women who would not say the same thing.

In the 2000 primary I ran as a pro-choice moderate Republican for a State Representative seat. In our area women did not have the opportunity to run, they were always "bumped" out of line, pro-choice candidates stood no chance as the wave of conservatism swept over our area. So I stepped out of line, ran against two other very conservative anti-choice male republicans and got 20% of the vote in a three way coming into the race in late November with the vote in March. I made some impact but was not welcomed into the party unless I sought absolution and towed the line. The seat in the general went to the Democratic incumbent who was at the time saying he was both pro-life and pro-choice depending on who he was working with, and has since voted pro-choice and received the endorsements of several pro-choice groups.

Running as I did barred me from many a leadership position in my own community as it was just unheard of to stand up to the party in such a manner. I would not come in from the cold as many others did once they failed and be given some token position. In fact the party leader at that time told me that if I brought a number of pro-choice Republicans forward the sheer numbers would cause him to champion the cause. I called him a political prostitute, as I suggested to him that if he would be so changeable in his ideology if sufficient numbers presented themselves, it was clearly all about power not belief. This had been the fate of many pro-choice Republicans in the area, as the religious right took over and reared its ugly heads, the choice issue was forced into the shadows. As the party sought unity to get the job done of voting in Republicans, so that they had power and their agendas where put forward, choice was unpopular and defeated and effectively the pro-life position put into the party platform was upheld as the rule.

Pity on all those who think. Even our congressman and his wife were anti-choice and did not hesitate to spread the false connection between breast cancer and abortion on government stationery to any person who confronted him regarding his stand on abortion rights.

There is so much at stake when religion becomes the leader in law and politics. We all end up losing.