JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. � Missouri Democrats have voted to ditch a recently added tenet aimed at welcoming anti-abortion candidates.

Party members in June had voted to amend the platform to state the party welcomes �all Missourians who may hold differing positions on (abortion)� and sees diversified views as its strength. The state party committee over the weekend voted to strip that language from its platform.

Missouri Party chairman Stephen Webber said removing that language showed unity in the party. Webber noted the Missouri platform also states more broadly it�s up to candidates to articulate their own policy positions when engaging with voters.

Democrats have wrestled with abortion as the party works to win back elected offices in Republican-dominated areas.