Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico Considers Democratic Prez Bid 
Email this article
Printer friendly page
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 22, 2007
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday filed the paperwork necessary to create an exploratory committee to consider whether he will officially seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in 2008. Richardson, who has held other top government posts, is a strong abortion advocate.
In a statement Sunday on his Web site, Richardson said the move comes “with the clear intention of seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 2008.”
A more formal announcement of a candidacy will likely come in March at the end of New Mexico’s legislative session.
Richardson made it clear his policies would be a departure from those of President Bush, who has been lauded by pro-life groups for his strong stance and actions on numerous issues.
“I am taking this step because we have to repair the damage that’s been done to our country over the last six years,” Richardson said in his statement.
Should he decide to enter the race, Richardson would face an uphill battle against pro-abortion New York Sen. Hillary Clinton — who filed her own papers over the weekend — pro-abortion Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and pro-abortion former vice-presidential nominee John Edwards.
However, Richardson would be the only Hispanic in the contest and could unite a core Democratic constituency as the first serious Latino candidate for president from either party.
Richardson served as United Nations ambassador and Energy secretary under President Bill Clinton and was a member of the House of Representatives from 1983 to 1997.
While in Congress, Richardson compiled only an 8% pro-life voting record on 79 roll call votes on pro-life issues during his tenure, according to National Right to Life.
During the 2004 presidential elections, he lent his support to the launch of a NARAL fundraising campaign that collected more than $25 million to elect pro-abortion presidential nominee John Kerry.
Richardson also supports embryonic stem cell research which involves the destruction of human life.
Last November, he said he wanted the New Mexico state legislature to force taxpayers to spend millions of dollars promoting the unproven science. He said he wanted to spend $10 million in state funds to make the University of New Mexico a leader in the controversial field.
