Antiabortion Congressional Candidates Backed By Democratic Party, New York Times Reports

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 28 Oct 2008 - 5:00 PST

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

The Democratic Party this year has recruited 12 antiabortion candidates to run for the House, the highest number of such candidates in the recent past, the New York Times reports. The party is "aggressively support[ing]" the candidates "with millions of dollars and other resources in culturally conservative districts long unfriendly to the party," according to the Times. Democratic Party strategists believe that in congressional races, where "local sensibilities and attitudes often play as big a role as national trends," such candidates "could potentially deprive Republicans of the one realm where they have enjoyed a significant advantage: social issues." The move is part of a strategy that started in response to electoral defeats in 2004. Republicans have portrayed the Democratic Party as being out of touch on social issues, including abortion, the Times reports.

Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said, "You help take the wedge issues off the table in these districts and allow the Democrats to focus on kitchen-table economic issues that unite Democrats and have the support of independents and even some Republicans." Independent analysts have said that the strategy has given the Democrats a strong chance to win congressional districts that are typically carried by Republican candidates, the Times reports.

The strategy has been criticized by some Democrats, including those who support abortion rights. Historically, Democrats have relied on abortion-rights groups to help raise campaign funds and back get-out-the-vote efforts. Kelli Conlin, president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health, said that the strategy "ignores the larger reality that this is a pro-choice nation," calling the strategy "misguided," according to the Times. According to a 2008 CNN poll, 53 percent of Americans characterized themselves as "pro-choice," versus 44 percent who characterized themselves as "pro-life" (Hernandez, New York Times, 10/26).

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.