NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Republican legislators are at odds over whether to criticize the state's largest anti-abortion organization for supporting a Democrat.

House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower drafted a letter to Tennessee Right to Life President Brian Harris saying the endorsement of Democrats would harm prospects for anti-abortion legislation.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Monday that he e-mailed the letter last week to House Republicans, inviting them to add their names to the letter. But several have objected, including House Speaker Kent Williams and Knoxville Reps. Bill Dunn and Stacey Campfield.

Mumpower cites the group's endorsement of Democrat Ty Cobb in a special election last month that was won by Republican Rep. Pat Marsh of Shelbyville.

Mumpower's letter says the anti-abortion organization doesn't consider that the fate of legislation often depends on "behind the scenes" activity.

"These behind the scenes actions are either being ignored or maybe simply are not understood by Tennessee Right to Life," the letter says. "By your own actions of supporting Democrat candidates you are saying you hope Democrat leaders once again are in the position of power and by your own actions you will help history repeat itself and you will help insure pro-life legislation is defeated."

But other Republicans say the group is dedicated to the passage of an anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution and is trying to gain more Democratic support. Republicans hold 51 seats in the 99-member House, but an amendment would require 66 votes.

Williams e-mailed a response Friday supporting Right to Life as an "honest, straightforward, non-political and non-hypocritical" group.

"While it may be politically expedient to condemn and denounce the Tennessee Right to Life organization, it is not fair, it is not right and it will not go toward achieving our mutual goal of having the 66 votes required," Williams wrote.

Dunn said the letter was "trashing the group that only endorsed Republicans" in 2008.

"I decline your offer to attack an organization that weighed the facts and made a principled decision," said Dunn in one of several e-mails on the subject obtained by the newspaper.

Mumpower said he planned to mail the letter Wednesday. He told the newspaper the letter was drafted as the request of "many of our caucus members who feel Tennessee Right to Life takes for granted the support received from (Republicans) and that they are tone deaf politically."

Harris said he has not yet received a letter from Mumpower, but said several legislators called to offer their support.

"The Tennessee Right to Life was founded on a nonpartisan commitment to supporting the election of both pro-life Republicans and pro-life Democrats, and that will continue to be the position of the organization," he said Monday.