While President Bush and John Kerry Battle, Some Senate Races Very Tight 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 1, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — With the intense focus on the presidential race between President Bush and John Kerry, competitive races for the U.S. Senate are getting lost in the mix.
For pro-life voters, the Senate contests represent an important step in helping overturn the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that allowed abortion. If President Bush is re-elected and additional pro-life lawmakers are sent to Washington, the chances are higher that a pro-life nominee can make it through the confirmation process.
"While the presidential election is drawing due attention, many are overlooking the significance of the battle for Senate seats," says Michael Bowman, executive director of Concerned Women Political Action Committee.
Some of the top Senate races around the country tomorrow include:
Alaska: Lisa Murkowski, who backs abortion but has compiled an 82 percent pro-life voting record in the Senate, faces a tough re-election bid from former governor Tony Knowles, who is pro-abortion. Knowles drew criticism from pro-life advocates when he vetoed legislation that would have limited taxpayer funding of abortions. Polls have shown Knowles faring well, but the most recent survey gives Murkowski a five point edge.
Colorado: Peter Coors, who is pro-life and pro-abortion candidate Ken Salazar face off in this Rocky Mountain state. Recent polls show Salazar with an advantage, though Bush will likely carrry the state in the presidential race helping Coors. Salazar has benefited from a donation from infamous late-term abortion practitioner Warren Hearn.
Florida: The contest between Betty Castor and Mel Martinez has been close and contentious with polls show either candidate with an edge. Castor has benefited from more than $1 million in funding from pro-abortion groups while Martinez is strongly pro-life and has been involved in numerous pro-life groups over the years.
Kentucky: Senator Jim Bunning, a pro-life lawmaker and former baseball great, has made some missteps in his race for re-election. Though his opponent will come closer than initially expected, Bunning should return to the Senate.
Louisiana: Two pro-life members of Congress, David Vitter and Chris John, will likely meet in a runoff election during the month of December. The winner will replace pro-life Democrat John Breaux.
New York: Richard Burr and Erskine Bowles have had a close race since the beginning. Burr has been leading by a small margin in most polls and the pro-life candidate should defeat Bowles, making for a pickup for pro-life advocates.
Oklahoma: The Oklahoma senate race features pro-life OBGYN Tom Coburn, a former Congressman and pro-abortion candidate Brad Carson, a Congressman. Carson has run what pro-life groups call the most deceitful ads ever by saying Coburn is pro-abortion. The doctor has taken a lead in recent polls and Bush’s landslide victory here should help him.
South Carolina: In a pickup for pro-life advocates, Jim DeMint is expected to win in South Carolina. The pro-life Congressman has been a leading advocate of adoption and has been a strong pro-life vote on other issues. Inez Tenenbaum has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from abortion advocates.
South Dakota: The race between pro-life candidate John Thune and pro-abortion Sen. Tom Daschle has been one of the closest and most hard fought in the country. If Thune, a former Congressman, knocks off the Senate Majority Leader it will be the biggest upset in the country and a key pro-life victory. Two recent polls show Thune with a slight lead.
Meanwhile, in other states, pro-abortion Senator Blanche Lincoln (D) is expected to defeat pro-life Republican Jim Holt, California voters are expected to send pro-abortion Sen. Barbara Boxer back to Washington instead of replacing her with pro-life Republican Bill Jones, pro-abortion Democrat Sen. Chris Dodd (D) is expected to win easily in Connecticut, and Johnny Isakson, who has a mostly pro-life voting record, should easily win in Georgia.
In Illinois, Obama Barak, who is pro-abortion, will defeat pro-life stalwart Alan Keyes; Evan Bayh will win his bid for re-election in Indiana; Charles Grassley, who is pro-life, will win convincingly in Iowa; Sam Brownback, a pro-life leader, will retain his Kansas senate seat; and pro-life senator Kit Bond will return to the Senate from Missouri.
Harry Reid, the Senate Minority Whip who sometimes votes pro-life, will be re-elected in Nevada; Judd Gregg, the pro-life New Hampshire senator, will win easily; pro-abortion Sen. Charles Schumer has the Senate race in hand in New York; pro-abortion Sen. Byron Dorgan (D) should win in North Dakota; George Voinovich will keep his pro-life seat in Ohio; Ron Wyden will win in Oregon; and Arlen Specter is expected to return to the Senate from Pennsylvania.
Also, pro-life Sen. Robert Bennett will cruise to victory in Utah, Patty Murray is expected to defeat pro-life Congressman George Nethercutt in her quest for re-election, and Russ Feingold will win another term in Wisconsin.
LifeNews.com projects that there will be a net increase of two pro-life votes in the Senate following the elections on Tuesday and a net increase of two votes for President Bush’s judicial nominees.
Related web sites:
Pro-Life Voting Guide – https://www.wevoteprolife.com
