Republicans were known for decades as the anti-abortion party in national politics. More recent years have seen Republicans actively backing away from that stance, even though the legalized murder of preborn babies remains the single most important crisis for our nation to address.
But a viral series of questions from a Republican rising star during a House Judiciary Committee meeting this week proved that the party’s base still expects, and will unhesitatingly reward, Republicans who display moral courage and outspoken boldness against abortion.
Rep. Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, was one of the lawmakers who took part in the hearing about the FACE Act and how the law has been weaponized against Christians who participate in sidewalk counseling, as well as other efforts to save preborn babies from death.
Gill challenged one of the pro-abortion witnesses, American University law professor Jessica Waters, to name her favorite type of abortion. In the viral video that emerged from the exchange, Waters chose to dodge the question and coldly respond with euphemistic language as Gill pressed her about various common abortion methods, each more brutal than the last.
The response to the exchange from the conservative base was overwhelmingly positive.
The video of the interaction posted by Gill to social media earned millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes. The comments were filled with gratitude for the stand Gill took against abortion, and leading conservative figures lauded Gill in their subsequent commentary.
Today I asked an abortion advocate what her favorite method of abortion is. pic.twitter.com/4Wvx4vo3i3
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) April 28, 2026
The viral moment was similar to past resurgences of anti-abortion sentiment within the conservative movement. In 2015, undercover exposés of Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of baby body parts sparked debate on the presidential campaign trail. In 2022, the discovery of five nearly full-term babies, and dozens of less-developed babies, in the trash of an abortion clinic in the nation’s capital stirred consciences as images were released to the public.
The exchange between Gill and Waters showed how anti-abortion moral outrage still exists in the conservative movement, and how Republicans are still rewarded for opposing abortion.
In recent years, Republicans at every level of government have been avoiding discussions and action on abortion, even after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, fearing electoral backlash from Democrats should anti-abortion legislation be perceived as overly aggressive. The platform of the Republican National Committee was amended in 2024 to remove almost every anti-abortion plank. The current administration has meanwhile avoided enforcing laws against mailing abortion pills, worked to expand access to IVF, and denounced anti-abortion laws in the states.
Such cowardice from Republicans on abortion is based in needless fears that overlook the energizing effects that moral courage has on the base, as demonstrated this week by Gill.
But much more importantly, retreating from the protection of preborn babies is an affront to God.
The central purpose of civil government, which was established by God for the benefit and protection of mankind, is the deterrence of evil with the threat of penalties. God established the principle of retributive justice from the time Noah and his family left the Ark, making clear that the shedding of innocent blood must be answered by civil authorities. In the Law of God revealed to Israel following the exodus, this same principle was applied to preborn babies.
Instead of restricting these principles to the Old Testament, the writers of the New Testament affirmed that civil authorities are ministers of God tasked with bearing the sword against evil, and that these authorities must punish evildoers. Jesus is called the ruler of kings on earth, and far from restricting the authority of Christ to some ethereal heavenly realm or future eternal state, Scripture says all authority on heaven and earth belongs to the risen and ascended Lord.
Republican lawmakers and candidates often refrain from discussing abortion, believing that the issue is politically radioactive.
But the stand taken yesterday by @RepBrandonGill against an abortion advocate was received very positively by the Christian conservative base, showing… https://t.co/wMx262abnw
— Foundation to Abolish Abortion (@AbolitionistFAA) April 29, 2026
The civil authorities of our day who tolerate abortion, whether they are pro-abortion Democrats or cowardly Republicans who shy away from saving babies from slaughter, are disobeying God. Such authorities are rebelling against the King before whom they must provide an account.
The moral stand taken by Gill against abortion should serve as a reminder to Republicans that their cowardice on abortion is baseless and that action must be taken against abortion.
Gill described abortion as barbaric and evil in his exchange with Waters. The only way to treat the barbaric and evil murder of preborn babies is the criminalization of abortion as murder for everyone involved, ensuring all image-bearers of God are equally protected under the law.
This nation needs bold rhetoric against abortion. But more than anything else, our nation needs to stop shedding the blood of our own babies, working to abolish abortion once and for all.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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