In retrospect, he could point out that O'Connor's Supreme Court record, along with two other Republican appointees, [[Anthony Kennedy]] and [[David Souter]], supplied the majority in a key 1991 decision to maintain legal abortion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Court/Sandra_Day_O_Connor_Abortion.htm|title=Liberty to define one's own concept of mystery of human life|publisher=On The Issues|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref>
In 1981, Gemma issued a "hit list" calling for the defeat such pro-abortion members of Congress as U.S. Senators George J. Mitchell of [[Maine]], [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan]] of New York, and John Chafee of Rhode Island, and former presidential candidate, Democratic Representative [[Democrat]] representative [[Morris K. Udall ]] of [[Arizona]]. Citing their opposition on principle to a "hit list", two leading members of the Pro-Life PAC resigned from the organization. U.S. Senator Jake Garn of [[Utah]] and Representative [[Henry Hyde]] of [[Illinois]], the author of the [[Hyde Amendment]] which forbade the use of [[Medicaid]] fund to underwrite the costs of abortion, said "hit lists" are counterproductive because they create irrevocable discord among legislators, any of whom can be subject to a "single issue" attack of this kind. Gemma said he was surprised by the withdrawal of Garn and Hyde from the PAC committee but continued with plans to spend $650,000 for the 1982 elections on behalf of anti-abortion candidates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/07/weekinreview/the-nation-congressmen-draw-the-line-at-new-hit-list.html|title=THE NATION; Congressmen; Draw the Line at; New 'Hit List'|date=June 7, 1981|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> Gemma said the PAC was trying to "influence those representatives, senators and candidates from both parties who are ambivalent or undecided on this matter of life versus death. If we can knock off some highly visible officeholders, it sends a signal to the mushy middle, as I call them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/04/us/three-quit-antiabortion-group-over-political-hit-list.html|title=Three Quit Anti-abortion Group over Political 'Hit List'|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=June 4, 1981|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> A year later, Republican Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] of Utah, in his bid for a second term, disowned advertising from the Pro-Life PAC against Hatch's Democratic opponent, Mayor Ted Wilson of [[Salt Lake City]]. He asked for support only through organized channels. Mike Leavitt, Hatch's campaign manager that year and later the governor of Utah, said that Hatch had a "strong disagreement with [Gemma's] tactics. We wish they would take their distasteful act back to Virginia. Negative political advertising is rare in Utah."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/us/hatch-disowns-group-s-ads-attacking-mayor-of-salt-lake.html|title=Hatch Disowns Group's Ads Attacking Mayor of Salt Lake|date=June 13, 1982|publisher=''The New York Times''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref>
In 1982, Gemma defended as highly successful his targeting of opponents with use of a "single-issue". In the 1984 congressional races, Gemma said that 65 percent of the candidates his [[political action committee]] had supported for nomination or election had been successful. "Quite obviously we turned out more of our constituency than the pro-abortion lobby, even though they outspent us as they have every year since the political battle over abortion began," Gemma said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.mcall.com/keyword/equal-rights-amendment/featured/3|title=Donald L. Ritter of [[Pennsylvania]]'s 15th congressional district Listed as Winner by Anti-abortion Group|date=November 10, 1984|publisher=''The Morning Call''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref>