Elections in Virginia, New Jersey, New York Provide Opportunity for Pro-Life Gains
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 2, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The off-year elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York provide the pro-life movement with an opportunity for pro-life gains. They also provide the first chance for voters to sound off on the pro-abortion record President Barack Obama has compiled since taking over the White House.
The Virginia governor’s race appears to be the one that will provide the most dividends for pro-life advocates.
There, pro-life former Attorney general Bob McDonnell is taking on pro-abortion candidate Creigh Deeds.
As the race heads into the final day, polls have consistently shown McDonnell leading Deeds even though Deeds has attacked the pro-life advocate on abortion consistently throughout the campaign.
Dave Andrusko of National Right to Life says the Washington Post — in both its news and editorial reporting — has also led a campaign to defeat McDonnell.
"The Post’s editorial page and its hard news reporters–nominally independent of each other–are working in tandem, singing harmoniously off the same sheet of music," he says. "Collectively they have done their best to torpedo not only McDonnell, but also the pro-life Republican candidates for Lt. Governor and Attorney General. It is no exaggeration to say that the Post’s coverage has been hysterical."
The Virginia Society for Human Life PAC has endorsed McDonnell, who would be a welcome change from recent pro-abortion governors, the group says.
In New Jersey, the New Jersey Right to Life and National Right to Life PACs, along with pro-life leaders like Rep. Chris Smith and Deal Hudson, are behind Chris Christie as he takes on pro-abortion incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine.
Polls have shown a true toss-up in the race in recent weeks — complicated by the fact that pro-abortion independent candidate Christopher Daggett is getting the support in the high single digits.
"Whether it proves to be true, the assumption has been that most of Daggett’s voters were coming out of Christie’s column," Andrusko explains.
Corzine has outspent Christie by a three to one margin and has spent $22.6 million of his own money on the race but Marie Tasy says Corzine needs to be defeated be he is giving the Planned Parenthood abortion business hefty funds.
"The press has reported that Corzine has repeatedly padded the pockets of abortion giant, Planned Parenthood with his own money, and has done so every year in the state budget with our tax dollars as well," she tells LifeNews.com. "Just this year, he allocated $7.5 million in the FY 2010 state budget to them."
"That’s our tax dollars which are being used to promote and perform abortions in New Jersey," she said. "Just two weeks ago, he asked the Obama administration to allocate more money to them so they can advance their anti-life agenda in our state. Is it any wonder their NJ affiliate and the national Planned Parenthood President, Cecile Richards, personally endorsed him?"
"If Corzine gets re-elected, he said he will push through another clone and kill embryonic stem cell referendum even though voters resoundingly rejected such a measure two years ago," Tasy added. "There is only one choice for pro-life voters and that choice is Chris Christie."
The pro-life choice in New York is Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.
He is running in the election to fill the seat in New York’s 23rd congressional district left vacant when pro-abortion President Barack Obama selected pro-abortion Rep. John McHugh to be Secretary of the Army.
The Democrat, Bill Owens, is reliably pro-abortion. But so, too, was the GOP candidate, Dede Scozzafava.
Because of the small number of elections and the national focus on Congress given the health care debate, LifeNews.com and pro-life advocates brought attention to Scozzafava’s pro-abortion position and support for Hoffman. That led Scozzafava to withdraw from the race over the weekend and she has endorsed Owens.
Still, the latest polls, including a weekend survey by Siena College, show Hoffman can win, unlike most third party candidates.
Hoffman now leads Owens 41 to 36 percent, after the two were tied on Saturday morning, and he appears to be the beneficiary of Scozzafava quitting. A PPP survey also has Hoffman leading 51 to 34 percent.
The concern is that about 20 percent of voters are still undecided just 24 hours before the election.
Andrusko predicts good things.
"Hoffman has all the momentum, has been endorsed by a wide spectrum of Republican officials and former officials, and is tied with Owens in the most recent polls, maybe even with a leg up," he said in an email to LifeNews.com.
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
