West Virginia’s Next Governor Will be Pro-Life on Abortion

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 12, 2004   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

West Virginia’s Next Governor Will be Pro-Life on Abortion

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 12, 2004

Charleston, WV (LifeNews.com) — After enduring four years with pro-abortion Governor Bob Wise at the state’s helm, pro-life advocates in West Virginia are excited about the opportunity to replace him with a pro-life governor.

On Tuesday, West Virginia residents named Secretary of State Joe Manchin the Democratic nominee and Monty Warner, a retired Army colonel, as the Republican nominee. Both men are pro-life.

Manchin secured 137,658 votes Tuesday night, 52 percent, to former state Sen. Lloyd Jackson’s 27 percent. Warner had 24,708 votes, or 23 percent, to lead a GOP field of 10 candidates.

The West Virginians for Life PAC endorsed Manchin in the Democratic primary and said Warner was one of several Republicans with "solid pro-life positions."

Wise upset pro-life advocates in March when he vetoed a bill that would provide justice to familles devastated by violence against a pregnant mother and her baby before birth.

He said he vetoed the unborn victims bill, that allows prosecutors to charge criminals with two crimes when they kill or injure an unborn children as a result of an assault on a pregnant women, because no one could determine when life begins.

The bill had substantial bipartisan support in the state legislature, with the House of Delegates supporting the bill 83-16 and the state Senate passing it 31-2. The legislature will take up the bill next year and, with a supportive governor, its prospects look good.

The bill was renamed "Christy and Ashley’s Law" after the Alberts family came forward to share their tragic story.

Christy Alberts was shot when she was nearly nine months pregnant killing both her and her unborn daughter, whom she had already named Ashley. During the trial for Christy’s killers, the jury was not told of Ashley’s existence. The family was devastated to learn that in the eyes of West Virginia law, Ashley did not exist.

Wise is vacating his position as governor in the wake of an extramarital affair with an aide. That led to a crowded field of candidates from both parties seeking to replace him.

Political observers say Manchin has an edge in the race by virtue of the state’s 2-1 voter registration in favor of Democrats and his name recognition as Secretary of State. However, the governor’s seat has gone back and forth between the parties over the last 20 years.

West Virginia is one of 11 states with gubernatorial races this year.

Related web sites:
West Virginians for Life – https://www.wvforlife.org