Sometimes when it feels like a situation can’t get any worse, there is a small ray of hope. Recently, the New Mexico House and Senate, despite having a Democratic majority in each legislative body, made the decision to preserve life by defeating assisted suicide and abortion bills.

This is in stark contrast to the radical abortion legislation that has been enacted by states under Democratic leadership across the country. New Mexico’s decision to protect life is a welcome relief and offers some much-needed encouragement for those who feel like the country is death obsessed.

New Mexico’s interest in passing assisted suicide legislation first began in 2014 when a Second Judicial District Judge ruled that the right to die by physician-assisted suicide is protected under the state Constitution. Although eventually ruled unconstitutional, every year since 2017 Democrats have introduced similar legislation in the House. The latest attempt to pass an assisted suicide bill might have failed, but supporters are not giving up.

“What we do have, though, is the drive and the commitment to keep building momentum,” Rep. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque, said. “To keep reaching out to legislators on both sides of the aisle and to keep educating people about medical aid-in-dying…something like this takes time.”

In 1969, New Mexico enacted a statute that made abortion a felony, except in instances of rape, birth defects and a woman’s health. Although the statue became unenforceable when Roe v. Wadebecame the law of the land in 1973, it is still technically in effect. For the last couple of decades, pro-abortion activists have been comfortable with this situation. But a newly conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court has changed all that.

Threatened by the prospect that Roe v. Wade is just one case away from being overturned, pro-abortionists have gone on the offensive. They’re trying to get any abortion legislation through state governments as quickly as possible in order to protect against the likelihood of a Roe-less world. But New Mexico decided to go in a different direction. Instead of following the national party line, senators voted to uphold the state’s 1969 abortion law. It was a bipartisan decision with eight Democrats joining 16 Republicans to vote for life.

“The state of New Mexico must strive to protect and uphold the dignity of all people from conception to death,” Sen. Gabriel Ramos, D-Silver City, said.

The radical abortion legislation in New York passed fairly easily and seemed to set the abortion agenda for Democrats across the country, but not everyone is on board. Since the backlash from the New York decision and the statements made by government officials in Virginia, the pro-abortion movement has slowed while the pro-life movement has been invigorated. Several states across the country have passed pro-life legislation, and what happened in New Mexico shows that not all Democrats are interested in radically legalizing abortion.

While this battle in New Mexico has been won the fight for life will likely continue into the future. Officials in certain states remain interested in pursuing a world where abortion until birth is normal and physician-assisted suicide is morally acceptable.

If you would like to make a stand for preborn babies, consider signing the Declaration for Life.