Gov. Asa Hutchinson said at the March for Life on Sunday that he supported anti-abortion initiatives, and he called for a reversal of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
The approximately 2,800 abortion opponents gathered at the steps of the state Capitol also heard words of support from U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton and U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, French Hill and Bruce Westerman.
Wayne Mays, president of Arkansas Right to Life, which sponsored the 37th annual march, said the state was "starting a new tradition," having the governor and all of its congressional delegation against abortion.
"The 2014 elections were very, very good for unborn children," Mays said. "Gov. Mike Huckabee was a regular participant in our activities. Sadly, we haven't had that these past few years. But it's a new day in Arkansas."
In his speech, Hutchinson noted the change between Sunday's march and the first one he attended, 28 years ago. He said few other elected officials were in attendance then but that "times have changed."
"I yearn for the day when speeches like this and marches like this are no longer necessary," Hutchinson said. "I look forward to the day when the sanctity of life -- all life -- isn't up for debate, but that the courts reverse the Supreme Court decision that brought us to this point and that the states are once again allowed to protect innocent lives."
Brittaney Stockton with the Arkansas Coalition for Reproductive Justice, an abortion-rights advocacy group, attended Sunday's event. After listening to speeches from the governor and five lawmakers, Stockton said the organization's efforts would be an "uphill battle."
"One of the things that stuck out was when he [Hutchinson] said that his intention is to overturn Roe v. Wade," she said. "It's slightly terrifying that we have a governor that is willing to do away with a medical procedure that has remained safe and healthy for 42 years. That's really dangerous. It's a concern."
During a brief speech, Hill encouraged those in attendance to contact U.S. representatives nationwide about passing a bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, known as the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. Hill said the House of Representatives would pick up the bill Thursday, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
Matching bills filed last week in the Arkansas Legislature were also applauded by the anti-abortion crowd Sunday.
The bills, filed by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain Home, and Rep. Julie Mayberry, R-Hensley, would ban the use of telemedicine during abortion procedures. Irvin told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week that she's heard accounts of severe complications with chemical abortions and that the procedure "needs to be done in the presence of a physician in Arkansas."
"As governor, I support telemedicine, but this is not the right application," Hutchinson said. "It should be prohibited."
Stockton said the argument that chemical abortions are unsafe is "not the truth."
"We urge politicians to use the facts when making policy that affects women's lives," she said.
The Arkansas Coalition for Reproductive Justice will hold its own rally Saturday at 1 p.m. on the steps of the state Capitol.
Metro on 01/19/2015