Key Pro-Life Democrat Bart Stupak Considers Run for Governor in Michigan
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 13, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Bart Stupak has established himself as the leading and most trustworthy pro-life Democrat in Congress by virtue of his single-handed opposition to abortion funding in the government-run health care bill. Now the Michigan congressman is considering a move up the ladder as a possible gubernatorial candidate.
Stupak, whose name has become synonymous with the pro-life effort over the last six months to de-fund abortions in the health care bill, is loved by pro-life advocates and has been demonized by abortion activists.
With that in mind, Stupak, who has an interest in serving his home state as governor, says he plans to take his time to see if such an endeavor has any merit.
He told CQ he is strongly considering a run for governor and will be traveling across his state in the coming weeks to gauge support for a bid.
Stupak also said Michigan needs "a strong leader who’s not afraid to bite the bullet. …I think I’m a guy who does that."
Stupak has said in the past that his position as a pro-life Democrat who holds conservative views on other political issues may make him a good general election candidate, but could present problems in competing for the Democratic nomination in a part dominated by pro-abortion and left-wing members.
"I may very well be the strongest candidate," he said about his general election prospects.
If he doesn’t get the sense that his candidacy may be viable, Stupak’s campaign for higher office may be short-lived.
"I would hope party leaders would get behind a candidate," he told CQ. "We can’t have a primary battle. A divisive primary would not be good."
Stupak also recognizes that Republicans will win his Congressional district if he abandons it because a likely Democrats would be pro-abortion and out of step with the district’s pro-life voters.
"It’s a gone district, if I’m not in there," Stupak said, admitting he is an "anomaly" as a pro-life Democrat.
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