Minnesota, Nebraska, Virginia Congressional Candidates Comment On Abortion

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 30 Apr 2008 - 7:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The following highlights recent comments made by congressional candidates about abortion rights.

• Minnesota: Former Transportation Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg on Saturday won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House seat representing the state's sixth district, the AP/Rochester Post-Bulletin reports. Tinklenberg said he is "pro-life" but told the state Democratic convention that he would not support any restrictions on abortion. Tinklenberg defeated Bob Olson -- a St. Cloud, Minn.-based tax attorney -- who tried to appeal to abortion-rights supporters, according to the AP/Post-Bulletin. Tinklenberg will face Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) in the November election (Lohn, AP/Rochester Post-Bulletin, 4/26).
  
  
• Nebraska: Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Scott Kleeb and Tony Raimondo on Saturday during a debate in Lincoln, Neb., said they are antiabortion but do not support overturning Roe v. Wade, the AP/Hays Daily News reports. Kleeb, a professor of history at Hastings College, said, "Abortion is a tragedy, but right now, Roe v. Wade is the law of the land," adding, "More important is, how can we reduce the number of abortions." Raimondo -- chair of Columbus, Neb.-based Behlen Manufacturing -- said that overturning Roe would lead to government intrusion. He added, "We do not need the government inside our family bedrooms" (Bratton, AP/Hays Daily News, 4/26).
  
  
• Virginia: The National Organization for Women recently criticized Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Gerald Connolly (D), who is running for the U.S. House seat representing the state's 11th district, for sending out a mailer that included a photograph of an abortion-rights rally and NOW placards, the Washington Post reports. NOW has endorsed former Rep. Leslie Byrne, who is running against Connolly, Iraq war veteran Douglas Denneny and physical therapist Lori Alexander in the Democratic primary for the seat. Marj Signer, president of the state chapter of NOW, said that the group "felt like" Connelly was using NOW. Connolly said that the purpose of the mailer was to state his support for abortion rights and women's rights and that the picture was intended to illustrate an abortion-rights rally. Signer cited Byrne's long history of support for women's rights as a reason for the group's endorsement (Gardner, Washington Post, 4/26).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2008 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.