Virginia Governor Candidate Kilgore Gets Pro-Life Support 
Email this article
Printer friendly page
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 27, 2005
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) — Virginia gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore has won backing from the pro-life community and is being endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee. The race is one of the few statewide races in the country in 2005.
"The endorsement reflects our appreciation for the strong stand Jerry Kilgore has taken on behalf of those members of our human family who are least able to protect themselves," NRLC political director Carol Tobias said.
"He has stood in defense of both unborn children and the medically disabled whose lives are threatened by abortion or euthanasia," she added.
As Virginia’s attorney general, Kilgore promoted legislation to protect pregnant women and their unborn children who are victims of violence. Criminals who attack a pregnant woman and kill or injure her baby can be charged with two crimes under the law.
Kilgore, who is a vocal abortion opponent, also staunchly defended a state law banning partial-birth abortions.
A Republican, Kilgore faces Democrat Timothy Kaine, who told the Washington Post, during his 2001 campaign for Lt. Governor, that he "opposes efforts to restrict abortions" and that he "opposes efforts to require a parent’s consent before a minor gets an abortion."
Now, facing more intense scrutiny in his gubernatorial bid, Kaine has changed positions.
"When Timothy Kaine was running for Lt. Governor, he supported abortion," Tobias explained. "Four years later, after seeing pro-abortion Democrats continue to lose election after election, Mr. Kaine now sings a different tune."
Tobias says she doesn’t believe Kaine’s supposed change of position is real.
That’s because he says he supports a ban on partial-birth abortions as long as the "health" of the mother is protected. Health reasons can be define as any reason at all for an abortion, whether legitimate or not.
"The fact is, Timothy Kaine supports abortion on demand while Jerry Kilgore is pro-life," Tobias concluded. "If any voter wants to support the candidate who opposes abortion on demand, who thinks parents have the right to be involved in their minor daughter’s abortion decision, and who supports a true ban on partial-birth abortion, they should vote for Jerry Kilgore."
Republican State Sen. Russ Potts is also running in the gubernatorial contest, as an independent. Potts favors abortion and has frequently held up pro-life legislation in the state Senate.
