2007 Election Results Mixed
Part One, Part two
By Karen Cross, Political Director

Editor’s note. Please send me your thoughts at daveandrusko@hotmail.com.

The fall 2007 elections have yielded mixed results.  In addition to legislative contests, a pro-abortion governor was defeated by a pro-lifer, a pro-abortionist replaced a pro-life governor, and, in a third state, the pro-life governor won re-election.

On November 5, a primary election was held in Ohio’s fifth Congressional District to fill the seat of the late Rep. Paul Gillmor (R).  The Republican contest was a nail-biter, with five candidates competing. 

The two pro-life frontrunners were state Rep. Bob Latta and state Senator Steve Buehrer. Latta prevailed, 44% to 40%. 

In the December 11 special election Latta will be favored over Democrat Robin Weirauch.  This is Weirauch’s third attempt to win this seat.

In Kentucky pro-life Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) lost to pro-abortion former Lt. Governor Steven Beshear(D). Beshear garnered 59% of the vote.

But in Mississippi pro-life Governor Haley Barbour (R) won a second term. Barbour defeated challenger John Arthur Eaves (D), carrying 58% of the vote.

Last month, Louisiana voters chose pro-life Congressman Bobby Jindal (R) as governor, making Jindal the first Indian-American to head a state. In Louisiana candidates of all parties run in a single primary. Jindal secured 54% in the October 20 primary. 

Meanwhile, in Virginia, the state Senate, previously controlled by pro-life Republican leadership, will now be run by pro-abortion Democrats.  The new makeup of the Virginia Senate is 21 Democrats, 18 Republicans, and one Independent.  (One of the Senate races is in a recount as there are only 91 votes that separate the pro-life Republican winner from the pro-abortion Democrat challenger.)

Although Republicans lost a net of three seats in the state House of Delegates, it remains under pro-life Republican leadership—54 to 44, with two Independents. The governor, Tim Kaine, is a pro-abortion Democrat who campaigned aggressively statewide for Democrats.

This election indicates that the Commonwealth is increasingly competitive and will require all-out pro-life efforts to keep Virginia pro-life.  

Finally, we have good news in New Jersey!  As reported in TN&V yesterday, an effort to fund cloning and embryonic stem cell research in the Garden State failed at the ballot box. Gov. Jon Corzine’s proposal to authorize borrowing $450 million to fund embryo-killing research over ten years failed, 53% to 47%.

With mixed emotions, I am reminded that we have 362 days left until the 2008 general election.

Please send your comments to Dave Andrusko at daveandrusko@hotmail.com.

Part Two