Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D), a leading gubernatorial candidate, made a campaign stop in Brownsville, Texas, and offered voters her take on reproductive rights. As Wayne Slater reported , Davis doesn’t see her support for abortion rights as incompatible with her concern for life.

“I am pro-life,” she said, borrowing a phrase from anti-abortion activists. “I care about the life of every child: every child that goes to bed hungry, every child that goes to bed without a proper education, every child that goes to bed without being able to be a part of the Texas dream, every woman and man who worry about their children’s future and their ability to provide for that future. I care about life and I have a record of fighting for people above all else.”

This hasn’t gone over well on the right. Breitbart’s report called Davis’ perspective “ astonishing ,” while Hot Air described the Texan’s argument as “ ludicrous .”

But it doesn’t have to be. Political phrases are chosen for their rhetorical and persuasive value, and we’ve come to think of “pro-life” as a shorthand for those who support laws to prevent women from terminating unwanted pregnancies.