On March 12, 2026, the day after the 2026 KY March for Life, Planned Parenthood held its annual pro-abortion rally at the Kentucky Capitol. The purpose of this rally was to oppose pro-life legislation, like HB 646, HB 359, and SB 320, while also supporting legislation to re-legalize abortion in Kentucky. Planned Parenthood was also supporting legislation that would bring pro-abortion sex education into Kentucky classrooms (HB 717).
Most of the rally schedule was your typical pro-abortion rally. Gov. Andy Beshear, several Democrat legislators, and pro-abortion advocates all spoke about how Kentucky law is supposedly flawed because it prohibits the murder of the preborn by abortion cartels. However, one participant in the rally generated lots of news coverage—Rep. Vanessa Grossl of Georgetown (pictured). This marked the first time in Kentucky history that a sitting Republican lawmaker spoke at a Planned Parenthood rally.
During her speech at the rally, Rep. Grossl stated several concerning things that need to be addressed. First, she stated that “there is no greater liberty than the right to make your own healthcare decisions without a bureaucrat standing between you and your doctor.” Incorrect, the right to life is the greatest liberty a person can have. Without life, a person has no other rights.
Rep. Grossl then admitted that she has “been a patient at Planned Parenthood.” Reminder, Planned Parenthood is our nation’s largest abortion mill. Rep. Grossl went on to claim that Planned Parenthood provides “sex education that leads to responsible choices.” In reality, Planned Parenthood’s sex-ed curriculum is designed to indoctrinate and sexualize kids to further their abortion and transgender businesses without parents realizing what is going on.
While Rep. Grossl’s participation in and comments at the Planned Parenthood rally are incredibly concerning, they are not too surprising. While running for office in 2024, she still had retweets of Planned Parenthood on her twitter page. Grossl was also in a leadership position with the Scott County Democrat Party before running for office as a “Republican.”
Despite these warning signs, the Republican Party of Kentucky spent almost $30,000 in support of Grossl’s election in 2024, and a PAC that is closely aligned with legislative leadership spent another $53,000. Meanwhile, conservative Thomas Jefferson received $0 in support and lost his race in the 45th house district by a mere 172 votes. This is just another example of how Republican does not necessarily mean conservative, pro-life, or pro-family. Conservatives must be cautious about those who seek to run as Republicans but govern as liberals.
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