The storm held down the number of protestors for the 43rd annual March for Life in Washington.
WASHINGTON -- A smaller-than-usual crowd marched against abortion rights in the nation's capital as a blizzard that threatened to paralyze the nation's capital keep many protestors away.
Many of the buses scheduled to carry demonstrators from New Jersey to Washington were canceled, and some of those that did make the trip left earlier than usual to stay ahead of the storm.
Snow began falling as demonstrators made their way to post-march receptions in House office buildings, including one hosted by U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) and Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist.). Smith co-chairs the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus.
"We have to change people's minds and hearts," said Jim Hughes, a retired state employee from Irvington and a former president of Essex County Right to Life who was one of four dozen on a bus from St. Leo's Church. "Do it by kindness and perseverance."
The storm threat wasn't enough to cancel or postpone the March for Life, which has been held for 43 years on Jan. 22, the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
"Someday soon, America will protect the weakest and most vulnerable," Smith, the only House member who was scheduled to speak, told the crowd. "And into eternity, each and everyone of you will have played a crucial part in that all-important human rights struggle."
Many protestors who couldn't make it to Washington joined an anti-abortion march in Trenton instead. Marie Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, said her group had a record crowd in the state capital.
In Washington, Lynda Matthews, a stay-at-home mother from Belvidere, was accompanied by her son Aran and two of his classmates from Cairn University in Langhorne, Pa., on a bus from Chester that ordinarily would have been filled but for the weather.
"People are realizing they can't ignore the problem," Lynda Matthews said.
"It's killing kids," interjected one of Aran's classmates, Liza Burchman of Hopkinson, Mass.
Whiile Aran has been making the trip to Washington since middle school, his college roommate, Noah Anderton of Lancaster, Pa., was attending his first march.
"The more people who are made aware of the issue, things are going to change," Anderton said.
Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina was the only Republican presidential candidate who spoke at the rally.
Citizens, fight with me. https://t.co/ve2tvSYk6G
-- Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) January 22, 2016
Others weighed in from the campaign trail.
Today I stand with thousands marching for life & defending the most vulnerable of all: https://t.co/flzntbl7wq https://t.co/A1jCv36F4i
-- Jeb Bush (@JebBush) January 22, 2016
The right to life is a human right. #MarchForLife #whywemarch pic.twitter.com/lrI0stqwwD
-- Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 22, 2016
This year's march occurred just weeks after congressional Republicans cleared legislation cutting off funding for Planned Parenthood, the women's health-care provider. President Barack Obama vetoed the measure.
Republicans have been outraged following the release of heavily-edited videos made secretly by an anti-abortion group that claimed they showed Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of tissue from aborted fetuses, which is used in medical research.
Federal law prohibits the sale of such tissue, though allows groups like Planned Parenthood to recover shipping costs. Planned Parenthood has said it no longer will seek reimbursements of its expenses.
After a series of congressional investigations found no evidence to support the allegations, the House GOP formed a new subcommittee and launched another probe. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) is a member of the panel.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.