If there was any doubt that the fight to eliminate access to safe abortion care is really becoming a competition between a handful of states, it has just been dispelled by Americans United For Life. In fact, they are quite proud to be assisting in the race however they can.

In a new article in NewsMax about the red state fight to end abortion, Dan McConchie of AUL boasts, “We actually have states competing with each other to be the most protective in the country. No state has yet done all that’s possible to do.”

The spread of the model legislation proposed by the group once it has been successful in one state is no coincidence, McConchie told NewsMax, saying that they “We try to mainstream new ideas quickly.”

So if there were a competition for “most protective” (ie: restrictive) state in 2013, who are the early leaders? Last year Louisiana won the title, but this year it looks like the race may be tight between North Dakota, Alabama, and Arkansas based on early legislation focused on abortion bans, TRAP bills and insurance coverage bans alone. Which one takes home the big prize may all depend on which ones eventually get signed into law by their governors.