All the Anti-Abortion Assholes Who Lost Their Elections

It was clear from exit polls that abortion motivated a lot of voters to kick these people to the curb.

By Susan Rinkunas | November 9, 2022 | 7:15pm

Abortion Politics

*Left to right: Mehmet Oz, Kari Lake, Blake Masters, and Tudor Dixon.* Photo: Getty (Getty Images)

The midterm elections that were supposed to be a “red wave” turned out to be more of a trickle. The Democrats held on to the Senate and, while we still don’t know which party will control the House, it was clear from exit polls that abortion motivated a lot of voters.

Yes, there were some devastating wins for anti-abortion politicians, like the reelections of Govs. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla), Greg Abbott (R-Texas), and Brian Kemp (R-Ga.). Republicans Ron Johnson and J.D. Vance also won Senate seats in Wisconsin and Ohio, respectively.

But overall, candidates with extreme views on abortion and who want to meddle in people’s reproductive decisions had a very tough night. Let’s roll the tapes.

Herschel Walker

Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for Senate in Georgia, was an anti-abortion candidate who allegedly paid for at least two abortions in the past. He lost to Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) by nearly 3 points.

Kari Lake

Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for governor in Arizona, accidentally said abortion should be “rare but legal” and needed her spokesperson to clarify that she meant to say she supports Arizona’s abortion ban. Lake also believes toxic masculinity doesn’t exist. She lost to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) by just under one point.

Bo Hines

Bo Hines, the Republican nominee for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional district, said he wanted to implement a “community-level review process” for rape and incest survivors who want abortions. He lost to state Sen. Wiley Nickel (D) by nearly three points.

Mike Erickson

Mike Erickson, the Republican nominee for Oregon’s 6th Congressional District, lied about having paid for a 2001 abortion. He lost to state Rep. Andrea Salinas (D) by about 2.5 points.

Dr. Mehmet Oz

Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania, called abortion murder and said “local political leaders” should have the power to ban abortion. He lost to Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) by four points.

Tudor Dixon

Tudor Dixon, the Republican nominee for governor in Michigan, said giving birth after rape is “healing” for a 14-year-old. She lost to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) by nearly 10 points.

Blake Masters

Blake Masters, the Republican nominee for Senate in Arizona, deleted his support for a fetal personhood amendment from his website after the primary election. He lost to Sen. Mark Kelly (D) by five points.

Adam Laxalt

Adam Laxalt, the Republican nominee for Senate in Nevada, called Roe v. Wade a “a joke” and said it was “sad” the state had pro-choice laws. Plus, 14 members of his family endorsed his opponent, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D). He lost to Cortez Masto by less than one point.

Doug Mastriano

Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor in Pennsylvania, said women who have abortions should be charged with murder. He lost to Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) by 13 points.

Carrie DelRosso

Carrie DelRosso, Pennsylvania’s Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and Mastriano’s running mate, said women concerned about the possibility of an abortion ban are simply “emotional” people who wouldn’t vote. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run as a ticket, so since Mastriano lost to Shapiro by 13 points, DelRosso also lost to Austin Davis.

Don Bolduc

Don Bolduc, the Republican nominee for Senate in New Hampshire, called the destruction of embryos created in IVF “disgusting” and said of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade: “Get over it.” He lost to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D) by nearly 10 points.

John Gibbs

John Gibbs, Republican nominee for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional district, called the reversal of Roe v. Wade “great news for women” and said in college that women earning the right to vote transformed the U.S. into a “totalitarian state.” He lost to Democrat Hillary Scholten by nearly 13 points.

Tom Barrett

Tom Barrett, the Republican nominee for Michigan’s 7th Congressional district, removed from his website that he would work to “protect life from conception,” apparently trying to pivot after his primary. He lost to Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D) by five points.

Matt DePerno

Matt DePerno, the Republican nominee for attorney general in Michigan, supports banning abortion without exceptions, called for the Supreme Court to overturn the right to birth control, and compared emergency contraception to fentanyl. He lost to incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) by seven points.

Kristina Karamo

Kristina Karamo, the Republican nominee for Michigan secretary of state, has called abortion satanic “child sacrifice.” (That office oversees voting and doesn’t legislate or enforce abortion laws, but we’re including her here anyway.) She lost to incumbent Jocelyn Benson (D) by 13 points.