Kentucky Gubernatorial Candidates Beshear, Fletcher Discuss Abortion-Rights Views In Televised Debate

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 09 Oct 2007 - 10:00 PDT

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Kentucky gubernatorial candidates Steve Beshear (D) and Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) on Wednesday in a televised debate aired that aired locally discussed their views on several issues, including abortion rights, the AP/Evansville Courier & Press reports (Alford, AP/Evansville Courier & Press, 10/4).

Fletcher, who opposes abortion rights, has said that abortions should be illegal except in cases of rape, incest or when the pregnancy endangers the life of the pregnant woman. Beshear, who supports abortion rights, opposes the procedure after the first trimester but has said decisions about abortion should be left to families, not the government. Beshear has said the solution to reducing the number of abortions is to provide more job security and better health care for women. Fletcher has said that Beshear is attempting to conceal his abortion-rights position (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/25).

Beshear on Wednesday said, "Abortion is a tragedy anytime it happens, under any circumstances, and as governor, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that women have choices other than that." Some political scientists said debate likely will have little effect on the governor's race. Polls show Beshear leading by 17 to 20 percentage points, the AP/Courier & Press reports (AP/Evansville Courier & Press, 10/4).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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