Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's Endorsement of Antiabortion Candidates Upsets Some Abortion-Rights Supporters

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 14 Feb 2005 - 22:00 PDT

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Some abortion-rights supporters are "fuming" over reports that the... Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has "signaled its preference" for two antiabortion candidates in Democratic primaries for Senate races in 2006, the Washington Post reports (Babington, Washington Post, 2/13). The committee has recruited Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), both of whom oppose abortion rights, to run for the Senate in 2006. The committee is scheduled to hold a fundraiser for Langevin later this month, and Langevin said he plans to decide by April 1 whether he will indeed run for Senate. Casey earlier this month met with DSCC Chair Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) but has indicated he will challenge Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) only if the field is essentially cleared for him. Several abortion-rights supporters -- including former Rep. Joe Hoeffel (D-Pa.) and former state Treasurer Barbara Hafer (D) for the Pennsylvania seat and Rhode Island Secretary of State Matt Brown (D) for the Rhode Island seat -- have indicated interest in running for Senate in those races (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/3).

Reaction
"It's disturbing," Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said about the apparent DSCC support for antiabortion candidates, adding, "It concerns women and it concerns the pro-choice community that the party would pre-empt the (nominating) process and anoint someone who doesn't share the party's core values." Michelman said the situation is " especially troubling" in Pennsylvania because Hafer is viewed as someone who "has earned a shot at the Senate," according to the Post. Michelman added that Hafer would offer a "clear contrast" to Santorum, who is one of the "most outspoken" abortion-rights opponents in the Senate, according to the Post. Schumer said that DSCC has "absolutely not" helped raise money for specific candidates in the 2006 races, according to the Post. DSCC spokesperson Phil Singer said that the Langevin fundraiser invitations say "Paid for by the DSCC" because a DSCC staff member agreed to fax the invitations from DSCC headquarters, according to the Post. Singer said that the Langevin fundraiser is "not a DSCC event" but added that "Jim Langevin would be an excellent candidate" and that DSCC would "love to see him run" (Washington Post, 2/13).

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