Kansas Gov Kathleen Sebelius Goes After Pro-Life Democrat State Senator
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 11, 2008
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) — Very rarely does a sitting governor oppose fellow party members running for an election, but pro-abortion Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is doing just that. The potential Barack Obama running mate is attacking a pro-life Democrat and supporting his primary opponent because she disagrees with his abortion stance.
Sebelius teamed up with Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley in a letter earlier this month endorsing the primary opponent challenging sitting state Sen. Mark Gilstrap, a pro-life Democrat.
Gilstrap has held the Kansas City legislative seat for more than a decade but faces a challenge from Kelly Kultala, a former member of Wyandotte County’s Unified Board of Commissioners in the August 5 primary.
Corcoran, a spokeswoman for Sebelius, told the Kansas City Star that Gilstrap and the governor don’t see eye to eye on abortion and other political issues.
"The governor wants someone here who shares those priorities," Corcoran said.
She also blasted Gilstrap for endorsing Republican Phill Kline for attorney general in his 2006 race against a candidate Sebelius backed who eventually had to resign his position after a scandalous affair.
Gilstrap, who told the Star he was "totally shocked" to hear Sebelius endorsed his opponent, said, "I have always voted on how I would think my constituents would want me to vote."
Mary Kay Culp, the head of Kansas for Life, told LifeNews.com that Sebelius is targeting pro-life advocates in the legislature because they have tried to hold her accountable for abuses in the abortion industry.
"Senator Mark Gilstrap is a man of integrity. He is truly pro-life. Governor Sebelius has singled him out for defeat simply because he is pro-life," she said.
Culp said Gilstrap represents the old-style Democrats who valued faith and family above pro-abortion politics.
"The actions of the Governor underscore the fact that the leaders of today’s Democratic party have traded those original Democratic values for abortion industry money," Culp said.
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