I vividly recall the anti-abortion “Summer of Mercy” protests that swallowed Wichita in the summer of 1991.

The protesters who blocked access to George Tiller’s clinic made no bones about their stance: Abortion was murder, and they were fighting to save the lives of babies. In the 33 years since, anti-abortion advocates built their movement atop the shoulders of that protest, making clear their belief that fetal “right to life” outweighed any other political considerations. Even if someone believed in the right to choose, he or she had to respect the moral stance of those who believed otherwise.

Surely those who followed such enduring religious values would never change course. Right?

Well, unless they were politicians.

Yep, according to fresh reporting from Kansas Reflector editor Sherman Smith, four Kansas Republicans have decided to put as much distance as feasible between their anti-abortion histories and their campaigns for reelection. Sen. Kellie Warren, Sen. Mike Thompson, Rep. Angela Stiens and Rep. Carl Turner have all said they respect Kansans’ overwhelming vote in August 2022 to preserve the right to an abortion.