Pro-Life Advocates Win in Missouri, Indiana and West Virginia Governor’s Races
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 4, 2004
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) — While President Bush and pro-life candidates for the U.S. House and Senate were cruising to victory on Tuesday night, three pro-life candidates in gubernatorial races were victorious as well.
Daniel McConchie, Director of Public Relations and Public Policy for Americans United for Life, pointed to victories by Mitch Daniels in Indiana, Matt Blunt in Missouri, and Joe Manchin in West Virginia as good news for pro-life advocates in those states.
"Each of these states are an opportunity to promote common sense pro-life legislation such as comprehensive protections for the rights of conscience for doctors and nurses as recently enacted by Governor Haley Barbour in Mississippi,” McConchie said.
Daniels, who worked in the Reagan administration, replaces pro-abortion Governor Joe Kernan, a Democrat who came under fire for naming Clarence Boone, medical director for Planned Parenthood of Northwest Indiana, to the Indiana University board.
Political pollster Brian Vargus said Daniel’s pro-life votes played well with Indiana voters and helped him win new voters in the southern part of the state.
Ed Martin, also with Americans United for Life, said pro-life voters turned out in large numbers in Missouri to elect Matt Blunt, who will be a welcome change after having a governor who consistently vetoed pro-life legislation and axed state funding for crisis pregnancy centers.
"Election analysis shows that Missouri pro-life and pro-family voters gave Matt Blunt a decisive victory for life," Martin said.
"Governor-elect Blunt can begin to rehabilitate the judiciary and bureaucracy in Missouri by appointing women and men who respect life and realign state government policies with the values of the people," Martin explained. "In particular, we look forward to openings on the Missouri Supreme Court to which Governor-Elect Blunt can appoint non-activist judges who will respect the rule of law."
During the election, Blunt said he opposed using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions and added he supports banning partial-birth abortions. However, he also presented concerns for pro-life groups by saying he would support embryonic stem cell research.
Joe Manchin, the newly-elected governor in West Virginia, also replaces outgoing Gov. Bob Wise, another abortion advocate.
Manchin received the endorsement of West Virginians for Life and the group says he stood up for the pro-life perspective when he was in the state legislature during times when it wasn’t popular to do so.
Related web sites:
Americans United for Life – https://www.aul.org
