Pro-Life Candidates Win Primaries in Arizona, Wisconsin, Other States Vote 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 13, 2006
Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) — Pro-life candidates won some key primary election battles on Tuesday with some big victories coming in Arizona and Wisconsin. Other states such as Maryland, New York and Minnesota held primaries and set up heated general election contests featuring fights between pro-life and pro-abortion candidates.
In Arizona, pro-life advocate Len Munsil won the GOP primary for the right to face pro-abortion Governor Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, in November. Munsil bested Don Goldwater, nephew of the late US Senator Barry Goldwater, a 50% to 40% vote even though Goldwater led in the polls during the entire primary battle.
Munsil enjoyed the backing of Arizona Right to Life in the primary and will have their support in the general election contest against Napolitano, who has vetoed several pro-life bills.
In another top race, pro-life former state representative Randy Graf apparently defeated state Rep. Steve Huffman by a vote of 43-37 in the GOP primary in the 8th congressional district. Should he win the general election campaign against pro-abortion former State Senator Gabrielle Giffords, this would be a pro-life pickup as the winner replaces retiring pro-abortion Rep. Jim Kolbe.
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Right to Life PAC is celebrating victories in every single primary election where WRTL/PAC made an endorsement.
"We are thrilled that WRTL/PAC-endorsed candidates won every single primary race in which we made an endorsement," said Bonnie Pfaff, WRTL/PAC chair. "This most certainly brings us into the general election with a clear advantage."
WRTL/PAC-endorsed candidates who won their primary elections included Jean Hundertmark, candidate for Lt. Gov.; J.B. Van Hollen, candidate for Attorney General; Nick Reid, 7th Congressional district candidate,John Gard, 8th Congressional District candidate and numerous local and state legislative candidates.
In Rhode Island, pro-abortion Senator Lincoln Chafee survived a fierce primary challenge from Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey, who opposes abortion. Chafee will face pro-abortion former state Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse who won the Democratic nomination in a landslide.
Rhode Island congressman Jim Langevin, a Democrat who opposes abortion, easily deflected a primary challenge from pro-abortion college professor Jennifer Lawless in the second district.
Maryland voters picked pro-abortion Congressman Ben Cardin over pro-abortion former NAACP President Kweisi Mfume to replace retiring pro-abortion Sen. Paul Sarbanes, a Democrat. Cardin faces pro-life Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, who on the GOP primary capturing 87% against nine opponents.
In Minnesota, pro-life Gov Tim Pawlenty and pro-abortion Attorney General Mike Hatch each won lopsided victories in their respective gubernatorial primaries.
In New York, pro-abortion Attorney General Eliot Spitzer scored a landslide victory in the Democratic primary defeating Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi by a vote of 81% to 19%. Spitzer will likely defeat former State House Minority Leader John Faso in November.
Former Clinton Administration HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo, who backs abortion, won the Democratic primary for Attorney General, capturing 53% of the vote against three opponents. In the US Senate race, pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton defeated Jonathan Tasini by a lopsided vote of 83% to 17% while former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer captured 60% of the vote in the GOP primary.
