As Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders debated Sunday night in an empty hall, most of the country was focused on the spread of coronavirus – and yet the last two Democratic presidential candidates standing still found time to compete with one another over whose record is the most radically pro-abortion. It is incredibly sad that neither of these top contenders can speak for the millions of pro-life Democrats and independents who – like most Americans – support common-sense measures to contain the scourge of abortion, which kills more than 860,000 unborn babies in the United States each year.

After the latest round of primaries, Biden will almost certainly secure the Democratic nomination. The question is, will party leaders and the media cover for his extremism? Judging by the amount of news coverage of Biden’s pledge to choose a female vice president and Supreme Court justice, versus his betrayal of countless unborn girls targeted for destruction, the answer is yes. While he is attempting to attract women voters by naming one as vice president and another to the Supreme Court, not all will be impressed. Women understand that there are differences of opinion among us – and polling shows it -- on life. For example, women support banning late-term abortions after five months of pregnancy, a point when unborn children can feel pain, in higher numbers than men.

Sanders, who recently released his own plan for expanding abortion on demand, has been champing at the bit to challenge Biden’s pro-abortion bona fides and pin him down. On Sunday he got his chance. When questioned, Biden touted his 100% rating from NARAL, which lobbies for abortion on demand, and again disavowed his prior support for the Hyde Amendment – longstanding federal policy that prevents taxpayer funding of abortions and has saved more than 2.25 million lives – after coming out against it last summer.

Biden’s flip-flop proved unpopular: 50% of voters – including 55% of independents – said it made them less likely to vote for him. Biden should have taken the hint, but instead he has doubled down. On his campaign website, he promises to roll back all of President Trump’s pro-life wins and increase funding for the abortion industry, led by Planned Parenthood, both at home and abroad. Pandering to the radical abortion lobby, he pledges his devotion to the Roe v. Wade standard of abortion on demand through birth.

In a previous debate, Biden vowed to apply a pro-abortion litmus test for Supreme Court nominees. Instead of the strong constitutionalists nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the pro-life Senate majority, who now make up one-quarter of federal judges, Biden would stack the court with abortion activists – putting the hope of saving countless little girls and boys out of reach for at least a generation. This stance, held by all of Biden’s closest Democrat competitors, no doubt emboldened Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer recently to threaten to make Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh “pay the price” if they vote to uphold popular pro-life laws. Biden has said nothing in response.

Biden’s dramatic race to the left on abortion is a symptom of the extremism that ails the Democratic Party generally, like a plague infecting its leadership. The fact is that no daylight exists between Biden and the socialist Sanders when it comes to abortion policy. Out of an initial crowd of more than 20 contenders who all backed taxpayer-funded abortion, late-term abortion, and even infanticide, the eventual nominee was guaranteed to be more radical than over 90% of Americans, including many rank-and-file Democrats. Moderation has been canceled.

To those of us who long to see the Democratic Party return to its pro-life roots, but who’ve watched its leadership systematically drive away its natural base over decades, the prognosis is bleak.

Fortunately, pro-life voters abandoned by the Democrats do have an alternative this year. In stark contrast to all his opponents, President Trump has governed as the most pro-life president in history. Through Election Day, Susan B. Anthony List’s ground team will make millions of visits to voters’ homes, working tirelessly in key battleground states to educate voters – including pro-life Democrats and independents – about the stakes of this election for unborn children and their mothers. These voters will be crucial to delivering a second term for President Trump – just the shot in the arm needed to restore this great nation to health.

Marjorie Dannenfelser is president of the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List. She serves as national co-chair of Pro-Life Voices for Trump.