GOP Candidate For Calif. Gov. Switches Positions On Abortion-Related Issues

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 10 Mar 2010 - 4:00 PDT

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California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, who is seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination, took liberal positions on abortion-rights issues when he unsuccessfully ran for state Assembly in 2004, the Los Angeles Times reports. Poizner's past statements supporting abortion-right issues contradict the conservative stance he has taken in his current campaign. On Friday, the Poizner campaign sent an e-mail claiming that he is "the only Republican candidate for governor who is against taxpayer-funded abortion." Poizner's opponent for the GOP nomination, Meg Whitman, generally supports abortion rights but also supports parental notification for minors, according to the Times. In another release, the campaign said Poizner supports a proposed ballot initiative that would require parental notification before a minor can receive an abortion. The release also said that a Poizner supporter praised him for taking "a clear stand on issues that matter to social conservatives."

However, in a 2004 questionnaire completed for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte and obtained by the Times, Poizner said he supports sex education that includes information on contraception, government funding for abortion services and expanded access to emergency contraception. He also indicated that he would support confidential services for minors and would oppose legislation requiring parental notification. Poizner also said he would fight efforts to restrict certain types of abortion procedures.

Poizner's responses on the questionnaire prompted PPMM to issue him a 100% rating on abortion rights. Deborah Ortiz, a spokesperson for the organization, said that the "100% ranking shows that he supported all of our issues in 2004." She added, "When he changed his position is certainly a question for Mr. Poizner" (Rothfeld, Los Angeles Times, 3/6).

Poizner in 2004 also identified himself as a supporter of abortion rights in a separate questionnaire for the Wish List, a Republican group that backs candidates who support abortion-rights, Politico's "Ben Smith" reports. For that survey, Poizner checked boxes in support of Roe v. Wade and government funding for abortion services for low-income women (Smith, "Ben Smith," Politico, 3/5).

Poizner spokesperson Jarrod Agen said Poizner believes abortion should be legal but wants to "drive the number of abortions down to zero." He added that Poizner had "matured his position" on government funding for the procedure "as he has studied it more, talked to more people and realized that one way to drive abortion down to zero is to eliminate state funding" and require parental notification for minors (Los Angeles Times, 3/6).

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