Pro-Life Election News: Romney, Texas, Florida, Pensylvania, Missouri

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Sep 3, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Pro-Life Election News: Romney, Texas, Florida, Pensylvania, Missouri Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 3
, 2006

Possible GOP Prez Candidate Mitt Romney: Embryonic Research "Orwellian"
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) —
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who may be a candidate for president in the Republican primary in 2008, attacked embryonic stem cell research over the weekend. His said the state’s decision to prohibit the creation of human embryos for destruction in stem cell research, was meant to make sure the state doesn’t follow an "Orwellian" future. The state’s Department of Public Health issued the new guideline last week, upsetting some stem cell research scientists. "I believe it crosses a very bright moral line to take sperm and eggs in the laboratory and start creating human life," Romney told reporters, according to a Reuters report. "It is Orwellian in its scope. In laboratories you could have trays of new embryos being created." Julian Zelizer, a Boston University history professor who follows Romney, says his comments are aimed at convincing pro-life Republican voters to support him. "Stem cells are like the new abortion, in that it’s become a litmus test for conservatives nationally," Zelizer said. Last year, Romney vetoed a measure promoting embryonic stem cell research but lawmakers overrode his veto.

Texas Gov Candidate Chris Bell Would Veto Abortion Ban, Perry Pro-Life
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) —
Democratic gubernatorial candidate confirmed again to Texas voters that he is pro-abortion. He said Friday he would veto any measure the Texas state legislature would approve to ban abortions in the state if Roe v. Wade is ever overturned. Several states have adopted what are known as "trigger laws" which indicate the state will ban abortions in virtually all circumstances once the Supreme Court reverses Roe. “I would veto that,” Bell told The Associated Press on Friday and claimed the majority of Texans back abortion. Bell is facing pro-life Republican Gov. Rick Perry and pro-abortion independent Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn. A spokesman for Perry’s campaign said the governor supports any efforts to “preserve the sanctity of life.” Friedman spokeswoman Laura Stromberg said he would also veto such a pro-life bill. “Kinky is very much pro-choice,” she said. “He believes in a woman’s right to choose and would most certainly veto a bill like that.” Perry has found favor with pro-life Texans because he’s signed bills to advance the cause of life including a parental involvement measure and another bill to protect pregnant women and unborn children from violence.

Florida Poll Shows Davis-Smith Race Close, Crist Leading Gallagher
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) —
A new poll in Florida shows Jim Davis holding onto a modest lead over Rod Smith in the Democratic primary for governor. Both candidates back abortion. A new Miami Herald poll shows Davis edging out Smith by five percent, the same as last month’s poll. Meanwhile, the poll, conducted by Zogby International, finds Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist is ahead of state Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher by about 30 percentage points in the GOP race. Crist’s lead has risen by 10 percent despite opposition to his candidacy from pro-life groups and Terri Schiavo’s father Bob Schindler. Meanwhile, pro-life Rep. Katherine Harris has as much support as her opponents combined in the GOP primary. Harris received 39 percent, pro-life Orlando attorney Will McBride shot up 10 percent to 23 percent, and the other lagged further behind. Harris will likely win and likely go down in defeat to pro-abortion Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in the general election.

Pennsylvania Senate Candidates Santorum, Casey Differ on Plan B Drugs
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) —
Pennsylvania Senate candidates Rick Santorum and Bob Casey both oppose abortion but Santorum has been considered the stronger pro-life candidate by most pro-life groups. Santorum, the Republican incumbent, proved that the case again on Sunday in an interview with NBC’s "Meet the Press" where he differed with Casey on the morning after pill. Santorum said he opposed it and considered it an abortion drug. "I agree that it is an abortifacient, and that, that it’s dangerous to give a dose of hormones equivalent to one-third of a whole series of birth control pills to, someone without any kind of doctor supervision," he said. "We disagree," Casey responded and said he favored the FDA’s decision to allow over the counter sales of the drug to anyone over 18 without a prescription.

Missouri Pro-Life Senate Candidate Talent Now Even With McCaskill
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) —
Missouri pro-life Sen. Jim Talent, a pro-life Republican, is now even with pro-abortion Democratic candidate Claire McCaskill. A Research 2000 poll, released Sunday and conducted for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper and KMOV-TV, finds 47 percent backed McCaskill and 46 percent supported Talent. Two percent of Missouri residents back Libertarian Frank Gilmour and five percent are undecided. The poll showed an uptick for Talent who was done six percent in June in the same poll. Meanwhile, a USA Today/Gallup poll released Friday showed Talent ahead 50 to 44 percent among likely voters. Talent has run a strong television ad campaign over the last six weeks, which may contribute to the rise in the polls. McCaskill’s television sports are in limited run right now but expected to go statewide later this month. The Maryland-based firm polled 800 likely voters Aug. 28-31. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Oregon Pro-Life Group Says Saxton Better Than Kulongoski
Salem, OR (LifeNews.com) —
Oregon Right to Life wishes that a pro-life candidate with a decent chance at winning the governor’s race was available to pro-life voters. Since that’s not the case, the group has recommended that its members support Republican candidate Ron Saxton. He’s not pro-life, but he would sign any number of pro-life legislative proposals, including measures to let parents know when their minor daughter is considering an abortion or to prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions. Those steps wouldn’t eliminate abortion would help reduce the number of abortions — something pro-abortion Gov. John Kulongoski won’t do. ORTL hasn’t endorsed Saxton because he’s not pro-life, but will tell its membership that Saxton is better than the incumbent, who has vetoed pro-life bills. A Constitution Party candidate, Mary Starrett, who is pro-life, is in the race but state political observers say she has no realistic chance of beating the other two candidates.