She's a pro-life Christian from Miss. — and the only Republican to vote 'no' on abortion bill

Justin Mitchell
Mississippi Clarion Ledger

She's a moderate conservative. She's a Christian. She's pro-life. 

She's one of 15 women in the Mississippi House, which has 122 members. And she's the only Republican lawmaker in the House and Senate who voted against the controversial "heartbeat" abortion bill

Rep. Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, is getting support from her constituents for her decision, including from a pro-life family who struggled with fertility.

McGee is one of 36 lawmakers in the House Wednesday to vote against the bill, which would ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected. Eighty-one voted for the ban, which could mean an abortion would be outlawed as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. 

More:'I've had an abortion:' Mississippi women talk about why they made that choice

McGee, who voted last year in support of a 15-week abortion ban, told her constituents her reasoning for voting against this bill on Facebook. McGee took Toby Barker's seat after he became mayor of Hattiesburg. 

"I cannot support legislation that makes such hard line, final decisions for other women; because, in fact, there are painful and heart-wrenching circumstances that do arise and should allow a woman to confer with her faith, her doctor and her family to make what will surely be one of — if not THE — most difficult decision of her life," McGee said. 

Hattiesburg Rep. Missy McGee was the lone House Republican to vote "no" on the controversial abortion bill that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, sometimes as early as 6 weeks. The bill passed in the House and Senate.

McGee said she struggled with the decision and spoke to constituents, doctors, friends, attorneys and her pastor before casting her "no" vote. 

"The legislative process should include real discussions and dialogue regarding exceptions, but the way this bill was rushed seems more about making a national statement in the current political climate than making a sensible and measured law," she said.

"As a Christian, as a mother, as a woman, and as someone who believes in the limited role of government, I cannot get behind the process or language of this current bill."

McGee was born in raised and Hattiesburg and represents House District 102, which encompasses most of Hattiesburg proper. 

She has two children, both boys. In her Facebook post, McGee shared her own personal challenges with pregnancy. 

"I remember years of waiting and of going through countless infertility treatments," she said. "And when I finally was able to get pregnant, I remember that I spent those early weeks of pregnancy praying that the tiny heartbeat — one that I had waited to see for so long — would continue to be there in the subsequent doctor’s appointment."

More:Mississippi appeal seeks to revive 15-week abortion ban

More:Mississippi lawmakers just passed one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the U.S.

Support from Hattiesburg IVF family

Anna Bush, 32, didn't vote for McGee in the last election, but the Hattiesburg woman and her family supports her representative's "no" vote on the abortion bill.

Anna and her husband, Matt Bush, tried to conceive for four years before the couple found out they were pregnant with their son, Truitt. 

Matt and Anna Bush of Hattiesburg tried for four years before getting pregnant with their son, 2 -year-old Truitt. Truitt was conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Anna Bush supports Hattiesburg Rep. Missy McGee’s decision to vote “no” on the controversial abortion bill that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, sometimes as early as 6 weeks. The bill passed in the House and Senate.

"By the time we got pregnant, we'd spent 75 percent of our marriage trying to get pregnant," Anna Bush said. 

The Bushes spent $25,000 and counting to conceive Truitt, who is now 2 years old. They went through six rounds of fertility treatments guided by Anna Bush's obstetrician-gynecologist and four failed rounds of intrauterine insemination, led by Dr. John Isaacs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. 

Isaacs also helped Anna Bush complete her first round in vitro fertilization, which yielded just two embryos. One is "Tru" as his parents call him, and the other is in storage in Jackson. 

Truitt was conceived on Feb. 3, 2016. The embryo was frozen six days later until transferred from the Jackson lab into Anna's uterus on March 25, 2016.

"You won't find many who are more 'pro-life' than women who have struggled with infertility and/or pregnancy loss," Bush said. "These women question everything: their faith, their purpose, the health care system, their legislators, even their doctors.

"Listen to these women. Missy McGee is my representative, and one of these women. I am one of these women. Legislation, especially regarding women's health, should never be made to 'make a statement.'"

Matt and Anna Bush of Hattiesburg tried for four years before getting pregnant with their son, 2 -year-old Truitt. Truitt was conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Anna Bush supports Hattiesburg Rep. Missy McGee's decision to vote "no" on the controversial abortion bill that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, sometimes as early as 6 weeks. The bill passed in the House and Senate.

Anna Bush said McGee's "no" vote was supportive of all women in Mississippi, "regardless of whether they have or will ever face these heartbreaking circumstances."

"Her fellow representatives in Jackson would do well to listen to her," Anna Bush said. 

McGee also received overwhelming support, almost exclusively all from women, on her Facebook page. 

Abortion bill supporters aren't happy

One pro-life advocate took to Facebook to express his concern with McGee's vote. 

Gulfport resident Kenny Craig is trying to start a grassroots effort to find a viable conservative candidate to run against McGee, who is currently running unopposed in the next election. 

"If we can find a candidate to run against her before the deadline of March 1st I will personally donate $1,000, and will get a lot of others to donate to the campaign as well," Craig said on Facebook. The post, which has been shared about 60 times on Thursday, had pledges of $1,000 contributions from two other people.