Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New Jersey congressman Chris Smith has led the pro-life charge in Congress for decades on abortion and bioethics issues. In a Monday interview, Representative Smith said likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain is pro-life on abortion and believes in protecting unborn children.

"He is pro-life in his heart of hearts, in my opinion," Smith told the Washington Times.

He said McCain's position on opposing abortion dates back decades and that his voting record on abortion matches his speeches on the campaign trail.

Smith also told the newspaper that there is little reason not to side with McCain when compared with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton -- two Democrats with decidedly pro-abortion views.

"The extreme positions taken by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been almost completely obscured, as it often is, by the focus on the Republican candidate," Smith said. "Some people like to be known as the education president. They will be known as the abortion president."

The praise for McCain's pro-life view on abortion also comes from those Arizona elected officials who know him best.

Jan Brewer, Arizona's secretary of state, and former Congressman Matt Salmon both are pro-life and both say McCain's record opposing abortion is crystal clear.

"I have been on the campaign trail, I have been at meetings with him, I have been at organization and party gatherings, the issue with him is very clear that he's pro-life," Brewer told the Times.

Salmon added that McCain endorsed him in a Congressional primary in part because of his pro-life views.

John Jakubczyk, president of the hometown Arizona Right to Life, told the Times McCain can be trusted to oppose abortion.

"From my perspective, I see him as someone we can enthusiastically support, and I look forward to his getting elected," he said.