Abortion Advocates Still Top Pro-Life Candidates in This Week’s Polls

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Oct 13, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Abortion Advocates Still Top Pro-Life Candidates in This Week’s Polls Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 13
, 2006

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A look at the most recent polling data on top races for governor and the U.S. Senate across the nation finds abortion advocates still holding leads in key races. Pro-life candidates are falling further behind as the political climate continues to make it difficult for them to gain traction.

The polls show pro-life advocates need to step up their campaigning a few notches and pro-life groups need to make sure they turn out as many voters as possible on Election Day.

Looking at the most hotly contested Senate races, the polling data is increasingly showing it more likely that pro-abortion lawmakers will run the Senate if the current numbers hold.

In Missouri, a KSDK-TV/SurveyUSA poll shows pro-abortion State Auditor Claire McCaskill with a 51 to 42 percentage point leader over pro-life Sen. Jim Talent. Talent had been even or slightly ahead over the last few weeks. A Monday poll had McCaskill up three percent.

Ohio polls show conflicting results as one from WCPO-TV/SurveyUSA has pro-life Sen. Mike DeWine trailing pro-abortion Rep. Sherrod Brown 54-40 percent while another from the University of Akron has the race tied at 42 percent each.

In Tennessee, pro-abortion Rep. Harold Ford has the first lead in recent weeks as a Friday Rasmussen Reports survey has him topping Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, who is backed by some pro-life groups, 48-46 percent. But a Wednesday WBIR-TV/SurveyUSA poll has Corker leading 48-46 percent in a race that will go down to the wire.

Virginia Sen. George Allen, who is pro-life, continues to cling to a 48 to 45 percent lead over pro-abortion former Navy Secretary Secretary Jim Webb.

Montana polls are showing that pro-abortion Democrat John Tester is ahead of longtime pro-life Sen. Conrad Burns by seven percent and the Democratic Party is shifting its resources to other states thinking they have a lock on the seat.

As expected, pro-abortion Sen. Bill Nelson continues to lead pro-life Rep. Kathryn Harris in a race most political observers gave up watching long ago. Nelson is ahead 61-33 percent according to a Quinnipiac University survey. Another poll has Nelson leading 55-37 percent.

In Maryland, pro-life Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele trails pro-abortion Rep. Ben Cardin by a 54-39 percent margin and in Minnesota, pro-abortion candidate Amy Klobuchar leads pro-life Rep. mark Kennedy 56-40 percent.

A Tuesday poll has pro-abortion Senator Debbie Stabenow leading pro-life Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard 53 to 42 percent.

Finally, the Pennsylvania senate race is still fairly close as pro-life Sen. Rick Santorum is behind State Treasurer Bob Casey 46-41 percent in a Allentown Morning Call/Muhlenberg College survey and behind 52-39 percent in a Rasmussen Reports survey.

In races for governor, new polls are showing pro-life groups may have a hard time getting legislation signed in some states if pro-life candidates go down to defeat.

Pro-life Governor Tim Pawlenty is losing the Minnesota race to pro-abortion Attorney General Mike Hatch by a 50 to 46 percent margin.

A WCPO-TV/SurveyUSA poll in Ohio has pro-life Secretary of State Ken Blackwell far behind pro-abortion Rep. Ted Strickland — now by a 60 to 32 percent margin. A University of Akron poll out Wednesday has Strickland leading by a smaller 47-34 percent margin.

The Tennessee gubernatorial race doesn’t look good as a WBIR-TV/SurveyUSA poll has pro-abortion Governor Phil Bredesen ahead of pro-life state Senator Jim Bryson 63-32 percent.

The Wisconsin race for governor continues to be close as pro-abortion Gov. Jim Doyle leads pro-life Rep. Mark Green by a 46-43 percent margin in a new poll out by Strategic Vision.

Michigan also continues to have one of the top gubernatorial races as pro-abortion Governor Jennifer Granholm is ahead of pro-life businessman Dick DeVos by just five percent in a new survey.

Iowa also has a heated race with pro-life Rep. Jim Nussle leading pro-abortion Secretary of State Chet Culver 45-44 percent.

Alabama has good news for pro-life advocates as pro-life Gov. Bob Riley is shown ahead of pro-abortion Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley by a 54-36 percent margin in a Rasmussen Reports poll.

Alaska is another bright spot for pro-life advocates as pro-life former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin is ahead of pro-abortion former Governor Tony Knowles by a 47-40 percent margin. A second poll has Palin leading 48 to 37 percent.

Pro-life Gov. Rick Perry continues to hold a lead in the crazy Texas race for governor. A Texas Trial Lawyers/Opinion Analysts poll has Perry at 33 percent, pro-abortion State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn at 20 percent, pro-abortion musician Kinky Friedman at 14 percent and pro-abortion former Congressman Chris Bell at 14 percent.

In Florida, Attorney General Charlie Crist is ahead of pro-abortion Rep. Jim Davis by a 54-41 percent margin. Crist is not solidly pro-life but pro-life groups say he will be much better on pro-life issues than Davis.

Colorado polling has former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, who says he is pro-life but won’t change the state’s abortion law, leading pro-life Rep. Bob Beauprez 50-35 percent.

In Maryland, pro-abortion Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley is ahead of Governor Bob Ehrlich 53 to 41 percent.

And in Pennsylvania, pro-abortion Gov. Ed Rendell appears likely to win a second term as he leads pro-life former pro football player Lynn Swann 56 to 38 percent.