Erick wrote a post earlier this week about the race for RNC chair titled, “Are RNC Committeemen Even Listening?”

As the head of the Susan B. Anthony List, a 285,000 member non-partisan pro-life group, I’ve asked myself a similar question – Is the Republican Party listening to the grassroots on Life?

This question was prompted in my mind (and in many others) by those within the party who have called for a “truce” on social issues – a call to ignore the million babies killed each year, many aborted using our tax dollars — while more “pressing” issues are dealt with.

So when I was asked to represent social conservatives during last week’s debate for RNC Chair, I very willingly said yes so I could get the lingering question in my head answered.

In front of a packed room of activists, voting RNC members, media, and many more watching on C-SPAN, I questioned the candidates on Life and Marriage.

While many members of the media rolled their eyes when every candidate said they were pro-life and pro-marriage without question, the debate proved that the 2011 GOP has an unshakable pro-life, pro-family core.

If you have doubts, look no further than the past records of two of the candidates, Chairman Steele and Maria Cino.

Steele was a founding board member of the pro-choice Republican Leadership Council and told GQ Magazine that abortion was an “individual choice.” Maria Cino, as Erick noted, was a board member of WISH List, a PAC that works to elect only pro-abortion Republican women.

Instead of using the talking points of the trucers, Steele and Cino expressed firm commitment to the pro-life cause despite their past records.

After all, the fate of their candidacies comes down to 168 voting members of the RNC. This electorate is local committeemen and women who are in touch with the Republican grassroots every single day. If the candidates’ pro-life convictions go this deep, the national grassroots must be overwhelmingly so.

Take note, Mitch Daniels and Haley Barbour: the grassroots expect those that want to lead our party to be pro-life. The only truce should be on truces themselves.

For more on my pre-debate Skype interviews and clips from the debate, please visit http://www.sba-list.org/RNCChair

If you’d like to send a message to the RNC voting members in your state before tomorrow’s vote, please visit the SBA List Action Center.