Trenton, NJ (LifeNews.com) -- One of the leading pro-abortion groups has endorsed pro-abortion Sen. Frank Lautenberg for re-election, calling him one of the most vocal and visible champions of abortion in the Senate. Lautenberg faces an abortion advocate in the Democratic primary and one of three GOP candidates in November.

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL says that whenever there is an attack on abortion, "New Jersey residents can count on Sen. Lautenberg to stand up and speak out for their state's pro-choice values."

"His leadership is even more important in this Senate, where every choice-related vote is close," Keenan added in a statement LifeNews.com received.

"We are proud to call Sen. Lautenberg a friend—and we will urge our 25,262 member activists in New Jersey to support his reelection and enlist the help of their friends and family to make sure this champion of choice can continue his leadership on critical issues," she said.

Keenan applauded Lautenberg for opposing abstinence education, opposing the rights of pharmacists to opt out of dispensing drugs that violate their moral or religious beliefs, and opposing a ban on partial-birth abortions.

Keenan also said Sen. Lautenberg is part of her organization's Protect & Elect 2008 electoral program to keep the pro-abortion majority in Congress and get an abortion advocate in the White House.

Lautenberg faces pro-abortion Rep. Rob Andrews in the Democratic primary, and Andrews is also a hard-core abortion advocate.

The winner will face either Joe Pennacchio, Murray Sabrin, or Dick Zimmer in November.

Pennacchio told the Star Ledger newspaper last month that he believes life begins at conception and he opposes abortion. He favors an amendment to the Constitution to prohibit abortions.

Sabrin says he is pro-life but favors overturning Roe v. Wade and letting states ban abortions instead of handling the issue federally.

Zimmer is pro-abortion and has a spotty voting record during his days in Congress, backing the pro-life side sometimes and the pro-abortion side other times.

New Jersey Right to Life has indicated it prefers either Pennacchio or Sabrin and will urge pro-life voters to reject Zimmer for the party's nomination.