Pro-Life Group: Turnout Key to Victory in 2006 Election Battles
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A leading organization that aides pro-life candidates says pro-life advocates need to get to work during the month of October to make sure every pro-life friend and family member gets to the polls to vote. The SBA List Candidate Fund, a pro-life political action committee, is mobilizing hundreds of thousands of swing voters in critical races nationwide. “Pro-life voters are just as pro-life today as they were two years ago,” said SBA List Candidate Fund president Marjorie Dannenfelser. “What we're doing is reminding voters of the impact this election will have on pro-life issues, from who sits on the U.S. Supreme Court to partial-birth abortion bans and parental consent laws." While other issues are getting the media attention, Dannenfelser says pro-life people once again have the power to shape the outcomes of many close battles. "These issues may not be garnering headlines right now, but, when it comes to voter turnout, they turn unmotivated voters into determined voters. We believe the pro-life vote could be the difference in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, and a number of other states.”

Michigan Abortion Advocate Granholm Has Small Lead Over Pro-Life DeVos
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-abortion Gov. Jennifer Granholm holds a small lead over pro-life businessman DeVos. With the election 7 1/2 weeks off, voters favor Granholm over DeVos 50 percent to 42 percent. Seven percent are still undecided and 1 percent say they'll vote for a third-party candidate. That's the results of a poll sponsored by the Detroit News and WXYZ. Still, 60 percent don;t think Granholm has done a good job as governor and two-thirds say Michigan is headed in the wrong direction. Although only 38 percent of voters think she's doing a good job, 52 percent have a "favorable" opinion of Granholm; 38 have an unfavorable opinion and the rest are on the fence. DeVos, meanwhile, registers favorably with 40 percent of voters and unfavorably with 37 percent. Those ratings help explain why Granholm is getting the support of half of the state's voters despite an apparently poor job performance. Meanwhile, pro-abortion Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow is building her lead over pro-life Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard in the race for the U.S. Senate. She now leads 53 percent to 34 percent, compared to her 51 percent to 38 percent margin in August.

Iowa Poll Has Pro-Abortion Chet Culver Over Pro-Life Jim Nussle for Gov
Des Moines, IA (LifeNews.com) -- According to a new poll from KCCI, 48 percent of those polled would vote for pro-abortion Democratic candidate Chet Culver and 43 percent would vote for GOP candidate Jim Nussle, who is pro-life. Some 9 percent are undecided. The telephone survey was conducted Sept. 11 and 12, and included 600 likely statewide voters who regularly vote in elections. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Half of those polled have a favorable opinion of Culver, 31 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Culver and 19 percent do not have an opinion. Of those polled, 49 percent have a favorable opinion of Nussle, 37 percent have an unfavorable opinion and 14 percent have no opinion. Nussle manager Nick Ryan said the poll differs from a Wall St. Journal one showing Nussle three points ahead. Those polled were asked whether Nussle's position of supporting an abortion ban except those medically necessary to save the mother's life had any effect on their vote. Fifty-five percent said Nussle's stance has had no effect on their vote, with 57 percent of men said it had no effect and 53 percent of women said it would not affect their vote.

Florida Gov Candidate Charlie Crist Picks Pro-Life Advocate Running Mate
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, the state's attorney general, chose Jeff Kottkamp, a Cape Coral state representative and attorney, as his lieutenant governor running mate. Crist called him "a great man, a great leader, a man of great integrity.'' Kottkamp is regarded as more conservative and more pro-life than Crist. ''Charlie Crist is, deep down in my heart, going to be an awesome governor," Kottkamp said, adding Crist brings ''the vision, the integrity and the heart'' needed for the job. Kottkamp voted in favor of Governor Jeb Bush's effort to pass a law to spare the life of Terri Schiavo, a disabled woman whose former husband won a court order to subject her to a painful two week starvation and dehydration euthanasia death. Michael Schiavo, after hearing Crist chose Kottkamp, said he represented "everything that is broken in Tallahassee.'' Democratic candidate for governor Jim Davis backs abortion.

Colorado Candidate Ritter Getting More Money Than Beauprez for Governor
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- Democrat Bill Ritter outraised pro-life Congressman Bob Beauprez 3-1 in August. Ritter collected $605,673 to Beauprez's $207,117. To date, Ritter has raised $2.7 million to Beauprez's $2.3 million and the totals will allow him to outspend Beauprez on television commercials from here until November. A spokesman for Beauprez said Ritter is garnering support from special interests. "Let's be clear about this: Bill Ritter has decided to place himself squarely in the hip pocket of the trial lawyers and the labor unions," John Marshall said. "You can't go through his fundraising reports and not come to the very strong conclusion that this is a guy who has basically placed a 'for sale' sign out in front of the state Capitol and said the trial lawyers and labor unions are going to have an open-door policy." Most recent polls of Colorado voters have indicated that Ritter is ahead and a Zogby/Wall Street Journal poll released Monday gave Ritter an 8.6 percentage-point lead over Beauprez.

Wisconsin Governor Gets Backing of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Group
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- A new coalition that advocates embryonic stem cell research is backing Democratic Governor Jim Doyle in his re-election bid. The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, comprised of researchers, patient advocates, and business leaders has announced its endorsement of Doyle, a supporter of the destructive research. Republican Congressman Mark Green, who opposes Doyle, is against the use of human embryos in stem cell research. Wisconsin Right to Life has endorsed Green, referring to him as "an exceptional candidate who so strongly believes in the sanctity of all human life." Wisconsin Right to Life also noted that Governor Doyle supports abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy, and has vetoed numerous pro-life bills. "When it comes down to which candidate respects the lives of the most vulnerable among us, the voters of Wisconsin will have a clear choice in November," said WRTL PAC Chair Bonnie Pfaff.

Michigan Attorney General Race Features Pro-Abortion, Pro-Life Contrast
Detroit, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Amos Williams, a pro-abortion attorney from Detroit, has been nominated as the Democratic candidate to challenge incumbent Attorney General Mike Cox. Williams, a former police officer, beat former judge M. Scott Bowen to win the nomination. Prior to the convention, Williams had already won the endorsement of pro-abortion group Michigan NOW. Cox, an outspoken pro-life advocate who was a featured speaker at Right to Life of Michigan's 2004 Conference and Students for Life Day, has fought to appeal a court ruling that declared Michigan's partial-birth abortion ban, known as the "Legal Birth Definition Act" unconstitutional. In his request for an appeal, Cox told the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals that the pro-life law was "the will of the people."

Michigan Cong Race With Rogers, Marcinkowski Sees Abortion Fight
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Democrat Jim Marcinkowski's inconsistency on the abortion issue is the focus of an automated call campaign supporting incumbent U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers. Residents of the 8th Congressional District have received calls pointing out that Marcinkowski, a former Republican, has changed his position on the issue from one extreme to the other. "Running for the Legislature, he [Marcinkowski] said he was pro-life with no exceptions," the message states. "Running for Congress, he says he's a pro-choice Democrat." Voters are urged to call Marcinkowski to "ask him what he'll be tomorrow." Marcinkowski's campaign manager, Brian Wilcox, said that his candidate left the Republican party due to its "extreme right focus on social issues." Right to Life of Michigan has endorsed Rep. Mike Rogers, a three-term incumbent to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Washington Pro-Abortion Sen. Cantwell Leads McGavick 52 to 35
Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll by Rasmussen Reports finds pro-abortion Sen. Maria Cantwell now leads Republican challenger Mike McGavick 52% to 35%. That's a significant jump since a similar the previous poll, which showed her up by just six percent. it probably reflects negative public opinion about McGavick’s admission of a drunk driving incident earlier in his life. It also marks the first time since February that Cantwell has topped 50 percent, a major threshold for incumbents. Following news of the arrest, 45% of voters have a favorable opinion of McGavick, down from 49 percent in the last poll. Fifteen percent (15%) of respondents now say they have a “very favorable” opinion of the candidate and 21% have a “very unfavorable” opinion. Those numbers also represent a decline from the previous survey. In August, the numbers were 18% very favorable and 14% very unfavorable. The state's primary is on September 19th but both are expected to advance to the general election. McGavick backs legal abortion but supports some pro-life laws.

Massachusetts Dems in Dead Heat for Gubernatorial Nomination
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- A Boston Globe poll of likely voters found three Democratic candidates in a dead heat for their party's nomination in the Massachusetts gubernatorial race. The Republican nominee to replace outgoing Governor Mitt Romney, Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, shares the pro-abortion views of her Democratic counterparts – leaving Massachusetts pro-life voters with no option in the upcoming election. On the subject of embryonic stem cell research, another issue that all of the gubernatorial candidates support, Healey referred to a $1 billion investment in the destructive research proposed by Democratic candidate Chris Gabrieli "pretty irresponsible" and "a decision just made in the dark." Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly and former chief federal civil rights prosecutor Deval Patrick are also running for the Democratic nomination.

Pro-Life Women Backing Lynn Swann Campaign for Pennsylvania Governor
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann is hoping pro-life women will help him score a touchdown in November's election battle with pro-abortion Gov. Ed Rendell. "I have a position on abortion, I am a pro-life candidate," Swann said yesterday. He added that is the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade he will sign a law banning abortions. That is resonating with many pro-life women who oppose abortion as well. The comments came at the kickoff rally for the statewide "Women's Team For Swann/Matthews." More than 50 women were sporting pink T-shirts proclaiming their membership in the "team." Chairing the statewide women's team is Charena Swann, Swann's wife, and Karen Matthews, Matthews' wife. "Women must become more involved in this political process and allow their voices to be heard," said Charena Swann. "There is much to be gained when we work as a collective force. Women will have a vital part in making this campaign successful."

Michigan Candidates for Governor Break Fundraising Records in Close Race
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) -- The Michigan candidates for governor are breaking fundraising records because the two are in such a close race. Republican nominee, pro-life businessman Dick DeVos, saw $21.6 million raised by his campaign while pro-abortion Gov. Jennifer Granholm has $33.5 million. Granholm, a Democrat, began September with $7.3 million in the bank, compared to just less than $600,000 for DeVos. The latest Rasmussen Reports poll last week found DeVos now edging out Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm 48% to 46% after Granholm led by one percent last month. Granholm’s base is not secure. Though DeVos attracts 90% of GOP voters, just 78% of Democrats now cast their lot with the Governor.

Kansas Pro-Abortion Gov. Sebelius Sees Lead Drop Six Percent in Sept
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-abortion Governor Kathleen Sebelius still has a lead and is considered likely to win her re-election battle, but pro-life Republican State Senator Jim Barnett has cut her lead from seventeen percentage points to eleven. Sebelius leads her challenger 48% to 37% but had higher marks in August. The Governor's support has yet to rise much above 50% and with the primary battle over Barnett can focus on Sebelius in the final two months of the campaign. Barnett is still an unknown to 18% of Kansas residents while pro-life advocates there know Sebelius and her numerous vetoes of bills to regulate abortion businesses that have had shoddy condition and been responsible for the death of at least one woman in the last 18 months. The poll found Barnett is viewed very favorably by only 19%, although fewer (9%) see him very unfavorably than see the Governor that way.

South Carolina Governor Sanford Leads Moore in Race for Re-Election
Columbia, SC (LifeNews.com) -- South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, a Republican, now leads State Senator Tommy Moore, a Democrat, 51% to 38%. The survey by Rasmussen Reports finds that he is now doing twice as well with Democrats, grabbing 24% of their support, as he did in July. In some previous months he had also appealed to a fifth or more of Democrats. Almost twice as many voters see Governor Sanford "very favorably" (29%) as see Moore that way (15%), the survey showed. Voters rate Sanford's job performance almost as enthusiastically as they rate him personally. Moore's unfavorable numbers are a bit better than Sanford's. But 22% still can't give an opinion of him. Sanford is pro-life and when he was in Congress the National Right to Life Committee gave Mark Sanford a career-long cumulative average of 92 out of 100.

Alaska Pro-Life Gov. Candidate Palin Leads Abortion Advocate Knowles
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) -- Republican Sarah Palin, who recently won the party's gubernatorial nomination, holds a 52% to 38% lead over pro-abortion former Governor Tony Knowles. Palin, who is pro-life, lead a Rasmussen survey last month by a 51% to 38% clip, showing her lead relatively unchanged. That August poll was taken before Palin won the primary to become the official Republican candidate. Knowles ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2004 and appears headed to another defeat. In the new Rasmussen survey, 34 percent of respondents report having a “very favorable” opinion of Palin. Twenty-five percent (25%) say the same for Knowles. At the other end of the spectrum, Palin earns “very unfavorable” scores from just 6% of voters surveyed versus 17% for Knowles. Knowles has upset pro-life advocates previously. The state legislature passed a law in 1997 that requires abortion facilities to obtain the consent of a teen's parents before performing an abortion on her. and then voted to override Knowles' veto.

Possible GOP Prez Candidate Mitt Romney: Embryonic Research "Orwellian"
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who may be a candidate for president in the Republican primary in 2008, attacked embryonic stem cell research over the weekend. His said the state's decision to prohibit the creation of human embryos for destruction in stem cell research, was meant to make sure the state doesn't follow an "Orwellian" future. The state's Department of Public Health issued the new guideline last week, upsetting some stem cell research scientists. "I believe it crosses a very bright moral line to take sperm and eggs in the laboratory and start creating human life," Romney told reporters, according to a Reuters report. "It is Orwellian in its scope. In laboratories you could have trays of new embryos being created." Julian Zelizer, a Boston University history professor who follows Romney, says his comments are aimed at convincing pro-life Republican voters to support him. "Stem cells are like the new abortion, in that it's become a litmus test for conservatives nationally," Zelizer said. Last year, Romney vetoed a measure promoting embryonic stem cell research but lawmakers overrode his veto.

Texas Gov Candidate Chris Bell Would Veto Abortion Ban, Perry Pro-Life
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate confirmed again to Texas voters that he is pro-abortion. He said Friday he would veto any measure the Texas state legislature would approve to ban abortions in the state if Roe v. Wade is ever overturned. Several states have adopted what are known as "trigger laws" which indicate the state will ban abortions in virtually all circumstances once the Supreme Court reverses Roe. “I would veto that,” Bell told The Associated Press on Friday and claimed the majority of Texans back abortion. Bell is facing pro-life Republican Gov. Rick Perry and pro-abortion independent Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn. A spokesman for Perry’s campaign said the governor supports any efforts to “preserve the sanctity of life.” Friedman spokeswoman Laura Stromberg said he would also veto such a pro-life bill. “Kinky is very much pro-choice,” she said. “He believes in a woman's right to choose and would most certainly veto a bill like that.” Perry has found favor with pro-life Texans because he's signed bills to advance the cause of life including a parental involvement measure and another bill to protect pregnant women and unborn children from violence.

Florida Poll Shows Davis-Smith Race Close, Crist Leading Gallagher
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll in Florida shows Jim Davis holding onto a modest lead over Rod Smith in the Democratic primary for governor. Both candidates back abortion. A new Miami Herald poll shows Davis edging out Smith by five percent, the same as last month's poll. Meanwhile, the poll, conducted by Zogby International, finds Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist is ahead of state Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher by about 30 percentage points in the GOP race. Crist's lead has risen by 10 percent despite opposition to his candidacy from pro-life groups and Terri Schiavo's father Bob Schindler. Meanwhile, pro-life Rep. Katherine Harris has as much support as her opponents combined in the GOP primary. Harris received 39 percent, pro-life Orlando attorney Will McBride shot up 10 percent to 23 percent, and the other lagged further behind. Harris will likely win and likely go down in defeat to pro-abortion Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in the general election.

Pennsylvania Senate Candidates Santorum, Casey Differ on Plan B Drugs
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- Pennsylvania Senate candidates Rick Santorum and Bob Casey both oppose abortion but Santorum has been considered the stronger pro-life candidate by most pro-life groups. Santorum, the Republican incumbent, proved that the case again on Sunday in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" where he differed with Casey on the morning after pill. Santorum said he opposed it and considered it an abortion drug. "I agree that it is an abortifacient, and that, that it's dangerous to give a dose of hormones equivalent to one-third of a whole series of birth control pills to, someone without any kind of doctor supervision," he said. "We disagree," Casey responded and said he favored the FDA's decision to allow over the counter sales of the drug to anyone over 18 without a prescription.

Missouri Pro-Life Senate Candidate Talent Now Even With McCaskill
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Missouri pro-life Sen. Jim Talent, a pro-life Republican, is now even with pro-abortion Democratic candidate Claire McCaskill. A Research 2000 poll, released Sunday and conducted for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper and KMOV-TV, finds 47 percent backed McCaskill and 46 percent supported Talent. Two percent of Missouri residents back Libertarian Frank Gilmour and five percent are undecided. The poll showed an uptick for Talent who was done six percent in June in the same poll. Meanwhile, a USA Today/Gallup poll released Friday showed Talent ahead 50 to 44 percent among likely voters. Talent has run a strong television ad campaign over the last six weeks, which may contribute to the rise in the polls. McCaskill's television sports are in limited run right now but expected to go statewide later this month. The Maryland-based firm polled 800 likely voters Aug. 28-31. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Oregon Pro-Life Group Says Saxton Better Than Kulongoski
Salem, OR (LifeNews.com) -- Oregon Right to Life wishes that a pro-life candidate with a decent chance at winning the governor's race was available to pro-life voters. Since that's not the case, the group has recommended that its members support Republican candidate Ron Saxton. He's not pro-life, but he would sign any number of pro-life legislative proposals, including measures to let parents know when their minor daughter is considering an abortion or to prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions. Those steps wouldn't eliminate abortion would help reduce the number of abortions -- something pro-abortion Gov. John Kulongoski won't do. ORTL hasn't endorsed Saxton because he's not pro-life, but will tell its membership that Saxton is better than the incumbent, who has vetoed pro-life bills. A Constitution Party candidate, Mary Starrett, who is pro-life, is in the race but state political observers say she has no realistic chance of beating the other two candidates.

Republican Fundraising Slightly Ahead of Democrats for November Elections
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Republicans outdistanced Democrats by a 3-1 margin in election fundraising in July, but lead only slightly in the amount of money in the bank for fall election advertising and get out the vote efforts. The money race gives the GOP a slight advantage as Democrats try to capture 15 seats in the House to take over control of the chamber. The NRCC has raised $70 million and has $34.1 million in the bank while the Democratic Congressional committee has brought in $81 million this cycle and $33 million cash on hand. On the Senate side, Democrats have a $14.5 million advantage in cash on hand as it tries to win six more seats to give it control of the chamber. Pro-life groups say that Democratic control of Congress would stall pro-life legislation and would make it easier for lawmakers who back embryonic stem cell research to try to overturn President Bush's veto of taxpayer funding of it.

Pennsylvania's Bob Casey Talks Abortion With Washington Times Newspaper
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- Democratic senate candidate Bob Casey, who opposes abortion, talked about the key issue with the Washington Times newspaper in an interview published Tuesday. Casey is challenging pro-life Sen. Rick Santorum, a Republican who has the backing of pro-life groups for his longtime work to protect life. Casey said he would have voted for the Child Custody Protection Act, but he did not say what he thought about the hold Democrats have placed on the bill preventing it from going to President Bush for his signature even though both the House and Senate approved it. Asked how he would work with Democrats in the Senate, who are almost all pro-abortion, he said, "On the issue of abortion, my position has been different than the national party for a long time. Even though there is significant and intense disagreement on both sides of that issue, there actually is something everyone agrees on: reduce the number of abortions. People expect you in that body, especially from a state like Pennsylvania, which is large and diverse, to have an independent streak. It's very important for this state to have that. When people review my record and the way I've approached issues, I've been independent on a lot of things."

Missouri Candidate McCaskill Gets Willie Nelson Backing Over Sen. Talent
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Infamous country music singer Willie Nelson is slated to endorse the campaign of pro-abortion Democrat Claire McCaskill in her race against pro-life Sen. Jim Talent, a Republican. The endorsement will come before a concert Tuesday night in Columbia. Nelson is backing McCaskill because of her views on farming even though several major state agricultural organizations have endorsed Talent, who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Nelson also says he supports the Democrat because she backs taxpayer funding for embryonic stem cell research, which Talent opposes because it involves the destruction of human life. Talent leads McCaskill 46-44 percent according ot the latest Rasmussen poll.

Wisconsin Governor's Race Sees Doyle Leading Green by Eight Percent
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-abortion Gov. Jim Doyle is leading pro-life Congressman Mark Green in their race for governor. After two previous polls showed his overall numbers unchanged, incumbent Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) has added two points to his lead over Republican Congressman Mark Green and now leads in his re-election race 49% to 41%. Doyle hasn't yet broken 50 percent, but the poll is his best showing yet. green's high point was in April when he received 43 percent in a Rasmussen Reports poll. Doyle is doing better among Democrats (83 percent) according to Rasmussen's survey than Green is among Republicans (77 percent) and leads 15-12 percent among crossover votes by attracting more Republicans than Green is getting Democrats. The favorability ratings are almost identical with Doyle's favorables slightly ahead and unfavorable ratings slightly lower.

Oregon Officials May Take Constitution Party Candidate Off Ballot
Salem, OR (LifeNews.com) -- Oregon officials are investigating whether Constitution Party gubernatorial candidate Mary Starrett should be taken off the November ballot because of a nomination process that may not have followed state law. Kelly Clark, an attorney and former Republican lawmaker, filed a complaint with the Oregon Secretary of State's office alleging that the party failed to file a notice in a newspaper saying it would have its statewide nominating session. The party met on June 3 to nominate Starrett, who is pro-life, to run for the office against Republican nominee Ron Saxton and pro-abortion Gov. Ted Kulongoski, the Democrat. Starrett says Republicans are simply trying to get her off the ballot because she will drain GOP votes in their bid to defeat Kulongoski. Pro-life advocates are hoping to defeat Kulongoski because he has repeatedly vetoed pro-life legislation that Saxton has said he would sign into law if he is elected. According to the most recent Rasmussen Reports election survey of 500 likely Oregon voters, Kulongoski ahead 49% to 35% over Saxton. That's an increase over last month when he lead 45 to 35 percent.

Arkansas Gov Candidate Mike Beebe Losing Lead to Asa Hutchinson
Little Rock, AR (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports finds State Attorney General Mike Beebe’s (D) lead continues to evaporate in his gubernatorial contest with former Congressman Asa Hutchinson (R), who is pro-life. Beebe now leads Hutchinson 45% to 41% and a July survey showed a 47 to 40 percent lead. Rasmussen says Beebe recently began airing television commercials, indicating his campaign may see the race tightening as well. The poll also found Hutchinson doing better with his GOP base, with 81 percent support, than Beebe is doing with Democrats (73 percent support). The poll also found that 51 percent of state residents define their position on abortion as pro-life.

Casey Lead Over Santorum in Pennsylvania Senate Race Shrinks
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- The lead Democratic candidate Bob Casey has over incumbent Sen. Rick Santorum is shrinking. Casey, who opposes abortion, now leads Santorum by just a 45 percent to 39 percent margin and Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli, who backs abortion, has the support of five percent. Santorum has a 100% pro-life voting record and has been a leader in the Senate on several pieces of pro-life legislation and opposing paying for embryonic stem cell research with tax funds. The Quinnipiac University poll found eleven percent were undecided or did not plan to vote. Romanelli is considered a potential spoiler for Casey and Democrats are challenging his petitions that allowed him to get on the ballot. In a two-way race, 47 percent of the respondents in the Quinnipiac Poll favored Casey to 40 percent for Santorum. Casey had an 18 percent lead in June and pro-life groups are largely backing Santorum.

Michigan Gov Candidate DeVos Picks Johnson as Running Mate
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, a Republican, selected Oakland County Clerk and former state Rep. Ruth Johnson as his Lt. Governor running mate. Naming Johnson as candidate for lieutenant governor is a smart move, political analysts say because it balances the ticket in terms of gender and geography. "I think it's important for people to understand the difference between the candidates," Johnson said. "Jennifer Granholm is a nice person and very cordial ... but the job is just not getting done. That has to change." Granholm has come under fire from pro-life advocates in the state for vetoing pro-life legislation. Johnson, 51, served six years in the state House before beating out long-time Oakland County Clerk William "Doc" Caddell for his position in 2004. Polls show the two candidates in a dead heat.

Colorado Gubernatorial Candidates Choose Running Mates
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- Both the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor in Colorado chose their running mate and made the selections permanent this week. Republican candidate Bob Beauprez chose Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland to add some geographical diversity to the ticket. Meanwhile, Bill Ritter picked pro-abortion Barbara O'Brien, president of the Colorado Children's Campaign, to run with him. The choice is interesting because Ritter opposes abortion, though he has repeatedly said he will do little about stopping abortions if he becomes governor. Beauprez has a 100% pro-life voting record as a member of Congress, including voting against abortion and taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research. O'Brien was tapped by Ritter in January but filed the official paperwork Monday.

Arizona Republican Governor Candidates Attack Each Other
Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) -- Before any of the GOP candidates for governor can take on pro-abortion Gov. Janet Napolitano they have to win the primary. They're attacking each other and leading pro-life candidate Len Munsil, former head of the Center for Arizona Policy, accused front-runner Don Goldwater of flip-flopping on abortion. He also reminded Republican voters that Goldwater said President Bush "sold out America" in a newspaper column this spring. Goldwater holds a double-digit lead in most polls. He says Munsil's campaign is desperate to gain ground as the September twelfth primary draws close. Napolitano has vetoed several pro-life bills and pro-life advocates in the state are eager to replace her.

Florida Attorney General Candidates Clearly Different
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Florida gubernatorial candidates Democrat Skip Campbell and Republican Bill McCollum have starkly different views on key pro-life issues. McCollum, represented the Orlando area for 20 years in Congress and racked up a strongly pro-life voting record on a number of issues. Campbell says Gov. Jeb Bush was wrong to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case to help her parents stop her former husband's efforts to kill her and take money left form a hospital settlement. McCollum said he supported the governor's decision "to protect a life" but says he would have respected the court's final decision in the lawsuit. McCollum says he has the experience on the issues that the state needs. "I've spent a lot of time in this arena," McCollum told AP. "Qualifications do count, and experience counts." McCollum has three primary opponents but they all dropped out of the race and Campbell has only token opposition. The current attorney general, Charlie Crist, is running for governor.

Former Pennsylvania Congressman Greenwood Backs Fitzpatrick
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- Former Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Jim Greenwood, who now heads up a biotech industry lobbying firm that pressed for taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research, still backs his successor, freshman Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick. That's despite the fact that Fitzpatrick opposes both the destructive research and abortion, someone else Greenwood supported. Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy has been hoping to use President Bush's veto of the embryonic stem cell research funding bill as an issue to gain support in Pennsylvania's 8th district, which is highly competitive. Greenwood says he has attended campaign functions with Fitzpatrick both in Pennsylvania and in the D.C. area, according to The Hill, a Washington political newspaper. His PAC has also donated $3,000 to Fitzpatrick's campaign. The issue may not play much. Patricia Wandling, the communications director for the Fitzpatrick campaign, tells The Hill that the attention embryonic stem cell research has gotten is “campaign-generated,” and not the result of a groundswell among 8th district voters.

Minnesota Congressional Candidate Junge Gets Pro-Abortion Backing
St. Paul, MN (LifeNews.com) -- Former state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge, who is campaigning for the 5th congressional district in Minnesota, won the backing of influential and extreme pro-abortion group Emily's List. Junge said the endorsement is important because the group only backs candidates with a good chance of winning. She is hoping to topple state Rep. Keith Ellison, who has the party's backing in the September 12 primary election. Former state DFL chair Mike Erlandson, Minneapolis City Council Member Paul Ostrow, Andrew Vincent Favorite, Gregg Iverson and Patrick J. Wiles are also funning for the safely Democratic seat given up by pro-abortion Rep. Martin Sabo, who is retiring. "It's a great vote of confidence," Reichgott Junge told the Star-Tribune newspaper. "It confirms what we've been hearing: that we have momentum in this campaign." Other candidates support abortion but said Junge got the endorsement because Emily's List only backs female candidates. The endorsement doesn't guarantee victory. DFLer Patty Wetterling had support from the group in 2004, but lost to Republican Mark Kennedy in the Sixth Congressional District's general election.