NARAL Uses President Bush’s 60th Birthday to Raise 2006 Election Funds 
Email this article
Printer friendly page
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 5, 2006
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Leading pro-abortion group NARAL is using President Bush’s 60th birthday on Thursday to raise funds for pro-abortion candidates for 2006. Though issues like the Iraq War and immigration dominate the national debate, abortion is still a contentious issue and the elections feature key contrasts between pro-life and pro-abortion candidates.
NARAL is asking its members to donate $60 to its election slush fund "in honor" of Bush, who has developed a strongly pro-life record over the years.
"If everyone makes a $60 Bush Birthday Bash gift today, we’ll be well on our way to putting Senate leadership back into pro-choice hands this November," the abortion advocacy group writes.
NARAL says it will use funds to target numerous races, including pro-life incumbents, supporting pro-abortion incumbents, and helping pro-abortion candidates in other races.
At the top of NARAL’s wish list is its quest to knock off pro-life Sens. Conrad Burns in Montana, Mike DeWine in Ohio, and John Kyl in Arizona.
Burns has possibly the toughest race of the three and faces pro-abortion Democratic challenger Jon Tester, a state Senate president who upset pro-life advocates for voting in 2001 to prevent debate and vote on a bill to protect pregnant women and their unborn children.
In the latest polls, DeWine leads pro-abortion Democratic Congressman Sherrod Brown 46-39 percent and Kyl faces pro-abortion candidate Jim Pederson, who is the head of the state Democratic party.
NARAL also wants big bucks to be able to help embattled pro-abortion incumbent Sens. Maria Cantwell in Washington, Debbie Stabenow in Michigan and Robert Menendez in New Jersey.
Cantwell faces the most difficult challenge of the three as she prepares for a matchup with Republican Mike McGavick, a business executive with Capitol Hill experience. Stabenow also faces a tough races with pro-life Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, who has the money to run a strong ground campaign.
Menendez will face Tom Kean, Jr., a state senator who is the son of former governor Tom Kean. Pro-life advocates aren’t worried about NARAL spending in the race because Kean is not pro-life.
The pro-abortion group is also seeking funds to help pro-abortion Rep. Bernie Sanders, a self-declared Socialist, run for the open Senate seat in Vermont and to elect pro-abortion candidates in Minnesota and Maryland.
Top races in Minnesota include pro-life Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s re-election bid, and pro-life Congressman Mark Kennedy’s campaign to replace pro-abortion Sen. Mark Dayton in an open seat race.
Maryland voters have the opportunity to vote for pro-life Lt. Governor Michael Steele for the open Senate seat of retiring pro-abortion Sen. Paul Sarbanes.
Every donor who gives the abortion advocacy group more than $10 will have a card sent to the president indicating the pro-abortion person made the donation to NARAL in his name.
