But a summer spent in a house for interns at The Heritage Foundation changed that, when "group-house drama" erupted over what Dannenfelser called an "inappropriate video".

This dispute led to her conversion to Catholicism and a new anti-abortion stance, according to a 2010 Washington Post profile.

[3][6] Soon afterwards, Dannenfelser was joined by Jane Abraham to turn the SBA List away from MacNair's bi-partisan and liberal credo, moving to a Republican Party and conservative-oriented group.

The organization, headquartered in Washington, D. C., lobbies law-makers, and spends millions of dollars per year supporting candidates.

She married Martin Dannenfelser, who later served as vice president of the evangelical political activist group Family Research Council.