Virginia Governor’s Race Features Pro-Life vs. Pro-Abortion Contrast After Primary
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 10, 2009
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) — Virginia has one of the few marquee elections this year and it is one that features a stark contrast between pro-life and pro-abortion candidates. Following yesterday’s Democratic primary election, a general election contest is set up featuring pro-abortion state Sen. Creigh Deeds and pro-life Republican Bob McDonnell.
Deeds has been in a close three-way battle for the nomination but broke away and received 49 percent Tuesday to former Democratic party chairman Terry McAuliffe , who had about 27 percent of the vote.
Former state Rep. Brian Moran, a younger brother of pro-abortion Congressman James Moran, received 24 percent.
The race is a rematch of sorts as Deeds lost a narrow race to McDonnell for his current position as the state attorney general in 2005. McDonnell won by a narrow 323 votes out of more than 1.9 million cast.
The race will receive national attention and pro-life advocates will be hoping for a McDonnell victory to help prove that they can win back Virginia from President Barack Obama, who came away with the state last year.
McDonnell has long had a strong relationship with the pro-life movement and the head of the state pro-life group in Virginia told LifeNews.com her organization will support him.
Olivia Gans, the president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, says the group is "proud to support Bob McDonnell in his bid for the governorship of Virginia."
"As Attorney General he has been a steadfast and vocal supporter of the rights of the unborn as well as protection for women from unscrupulous abortionists," Gans said. "He is an articulate leader on the full range of pro-life issues in Virginia and the nation."
Gans said McDonnell’s office has spared no effort in defending the Virginia partial-birth abortion ban, which pro-abortion groups took to court. The measure is currently before the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.
"Pro-life Virginians have been fortunate to work alongside Attorney General McDonnell since his days in the Virginia House of Delegates and look forward to continuing to work with him as governor," Gans added.
The winner of the election will replace term-limited Gov, Tim Kaine, an abortion advocate who supports some abortion limits and is also the chairman of the national Democratic Party.
Related web sites:
Virginia Society for Human Life – https://www.vshl.org
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