Florida Pro-Life Group Endorses Marco Rubio for Senate, Rick Scott for Governor
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 4, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A Florida pro-life group has issued endorsements in races for Congress and statewide offices, but its endorsements in two marquee matchups will probably stand out for more state voters. Florida Right to Life has endorsed pro-life Senate candidate Marco Rubio and gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott.
Although independent candidate Gov, Charlie Crist has claimed in the past to hold a pro-life position, his veto of a bill that allowed women to see an ultrasound of their unborn baby before an abortion caused most pro-life voters to spurn those claims.
The Florida Right to Life endorsement further entrenches the notion that Rubio is the only pro-life candidate in the Senate race against Crist and pro-abortion Rep. Kendrick Meek.
Meanwhile, FRTL’s endorsement of Scott comes after a very closely contested primary campaign against pro-life candidate Bill McCollum and now an equally tight general election contest against pro-abortion Democrat Alex Sink.
"The Florida Right to Life Political Action Committee is a single-issue committee affiliated with Florida Right to Life," the organization said in a statement to LifeNews.com.
The endorsements, the group said, were made after "careful review of candidates’ voting records and questionnaire responses."
Looking at other races, Florida Right to Life issued endorsements for attorney general candidate Pam Bondi, Jeff Atwater for Chief Financial Officer, Adam Putnam for Agriculture Commissioner, and a host of pro-life candidates for Congress and the state legislature.
Looking at the Senate race, Rubio criticized Crist for the veto of the pro-life bill, saying “Once again, Charlie Crist has put politics ahead of principled policy-making. Not only would this commonsense measure have provided women with vital information as they make a critical decision, but now Governor Crist’s veto also clears the way for taxpayer funding of abortion in Florida."
"This veto will now make it harder for Florida to fight Obamacare, since the bill would have enabled our state to opt out of the abortion coverage mandate in the federal health care law," he added.
“Even those who agree with the outcome of the Governor’s decision should be alarmed that an issue as serious and deserving of sober deliberation as this one was treated in such a calculating, political manner. Florida deserves a U.S. senator who will think issues through and let principles, not the politics of the moment, guide their decisions. Not surprisingly, his latest decision is only the latest in a long litany of examples in which Charlie Crist has broken his word to Floridians," Rubio said.
Crist has also come under fire for removing the section of his web site supposedly touting his pro-life credentials.
Meanwhile, Scott earned praise from pro-life advocates selecting a pro-life lieutenant governor running mate.
Scott’s campaign announced he has selected State Representative Jennifer Carroll of Jacksonville to be his running mate as Lt. Governor.
The Florida Family Policy Council told LifeNews.com Carroll "has been a consistent and solid supporter of pro-life and pro-family issues that have come before her in the legislature."
Carroll was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2003 and was the first black Republican woman elected to the Florida Legislature. She went to the legislature after serving a 20 year career in the U.S. Navy.
FFPC President John Stemberger told LifeNews.com, "I could not be more pleased at the selection of Jennifer Carroll for Lt. Governor as she is a true friend of the family."
"I applaud Rick Scott for his principled decision making in selecting such a reliable social conservative such as Jennifer Caroll as his running mate," he added.
Scott, a businessman, has run as a pro-life candidate and Florida Right to Life gave him an "A" grade and recommended him to voters.
"I am pro-life. I believe strongly in the sanctity of human life. I believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and as governor, would appoint judges who apply law and not impose their political agenda on the people, which was what was done in 1973 when Roe was wrongly decided," he says in an audio file on his web site.
Scott also says he disagrees with the decision by pro-abortion Gov. Charlie Crist to veto the ultrasound bill.
"As governor, I would have signed the pro-life ultrasound legislation that has passed both house of the Florida legislature and was vetoed by Charlie Crist for political reasons," he said. "This important legislation not only demonstrates that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life but also prevents Florida taxpayers from funding abortion through the federal health care plan that recently passed Congress."
In 2006, there were 95,586 abortions performed in Florida.
Related web sites:
Florida Right to Life – https://www.frtl.org
Florida Family Policy Council – https://www.FLFamily.org
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