NOVEMBER 3 - - VOTE!

By Carol Long Tobias, NRL PAC Director

On November 3, pro-lifers again have an opportunity, and obligation, to participate in our democracy, going to the voting booths to help elect men and women who will make the laws for our nation.

All 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 34 senators, 36 governors, and thousands of state policy makers will be elected. For the sake of the 1.4 million unborn babies that die every year by abortion, pro-lifers should encourage friends, relatives, and neighbors to learn where the candidates stand on the life issues.

Several new pro-life governors are likely to be elected. (See NRL News, 9/28/98.) Election looks likely for several pro-life candidates running for the U.S. Senate.

In Illinois, pro-abortion Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun (D) is fighting for survival against pro-life state Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R). Polls in the past month have shown Fitzgerald leading by a margin of 7%-15%.

In Wisconsin, pro-life Congressman Mark Neumann (R) is running a tough race against pro-abortion incumbent Sen. Russell Feingold (D). Feingold has a solid pro-abortion voting record and is also co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance "reform" bill. Neumann has made partial-birth abortion one of the top issues in his campaign, informing voters that Feingold voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. With a Neumann win, unborn babies would have another vote on life-related legislation, and pro-lifers would have a better chance of protecting their right to speak out concerning the voting records and positions on right to life issues of elected officials or candidates.

Another pro-life Republican congressman, John Ensign of Nevada, is challenging Sen. Harry Reid (D), who has a mixed record on abortion. The latest polls have shown this race to be statistically even.

In Kentucky, pro-life Congressman Jim Bunning (R) and Congressman Scotty Baesler (D), who has a mixed record on abortion, are in a tight race to succeed retiring pro-life Sen. Wendell Ford (D). Baesler is a leading proponent of campaign finance "reform" in the House, authoring an unsuccessful bill to make it a crime for a group such as NRLC to spend more than a specific amount to talk about a congressman's voting record during any two-year period.

In 1992, three pro-abortion Democratic women were elected to the Senate in the so-called "Year of the Woman." Along with Moseley- Braun, Washington Sen. Patty Murray and California Sen. Barbara Boxer find themselves attempting to fight off tough opponents. Murray will face pro-life Congresswoman Linda Smith (R) while Boxer is trying to fend off California state Treasurer Matt Fong. Fong supports a ban on partial-birth abortions. He also supports the Child Custody Protection Act, and opposes assisted suicide and tax funding of abortion.

Pro-life South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis (R) is mounting a tough challenge to pro-abortion Sen. Ernest Hollings (D). Hollings had originally voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion but, in this session, changed his vote and voted for the bill. There is some speculation that he didn't want that vote used against him in what is shaping up to be a very close race.

In South Dakota election year strategy could also be a factor in pro-abortion Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle's change in the partial- birth abortion debate. In the 1995-96 session, Daschle voted against overriding the President's veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. However, this year he voted for the ban after offering an unsuccessful, alternative bill which would have effectively banned no abortions. He is facing pro-life Republican businessman Ron Schmidt.

President Clinton's home state of Arkansas finds an exciting Senate race shaping up as pro-abortion Sen. Dale Bumpers (D) ends his time in the Senate with retirement. Bumpers will be succeeded by either pro-life state Sen. Fay Boozman (R) or pro- abortion former Congresswoman Blanche Lincoln (D). Boozman sponsored a successful state bill to ban partial-birth abortions in Arkansas.

The pro-life movement is expected to basically swap seats in two states, with a pro-lifer likely replacing a pro-abortionist and vice versa. Retiring pro-abortion Ohio Sen. John Glenn (D) will likely be succeeded by pro-life Republican Gov. George Voinovich, while Indiana's retiring pro-life Sen. Dan Coats (R) will likely be replaced by pro-abortion former Gov. Evan Bayh (D). Both Voinovich and Bayh have been leading in their races all year and their opponents are unlikely to close the gap before election day.

Two pro-life Republican senators, however, are currently on the " endangered" list. Al D'Amato of New York and Lauch Faircloth of North Carolina are facing tough challenges by well-financed opponents. D'Amato's opponent, pro-abortion Congressman Charles Schumer (D), has a solid pro-abortion voting record, opposing the ban on partial-birth abortions and the Child Custody Protection Act. He also votes consistently to use tax dollars to pay for abortion on demand.

Faircloth's opponent, attorney John Edwards (D), has stated that he supports President Clinton's veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

Congressional Races Offer Opportunities
Thirty-three members of the House are retiring or are running for another office. Some of these soon-to-be vacated seats are being strongly contested by candidates with opposing points of view on abortion. In Nevada, where John Ensign (R) is running for the Senate, his open congressional seat is a toss-up between pro-life district judge Don Chairez (R) and pro-abortion university regent Shelley Berkley (D). Berkley is one of many candidates endorsed by EMILY's List, a PAC which supports only pro-abortion Democratic women.

The situation is very similar in Wisconsin in the race to replace Congressman Mark Neumann, also running for the Senate. Pro-life Republican businessman Paul Ryan is in a tight race with pro-abortion Democrat Lydia Spottswood, a nurse. Spottswood is also endorsed by EMILY's List.

Rep. Linda Smith's seat in Washington pits pro-life state Sen. Don Benton (R) against pro-abortion college professor Brian Baird (D). Baird ran against Smith in 1994 and lost by less than a thousand votes. Benton has been a leader for the pro-life movement in the Washington legislature.

Two women running in open seats are hoping to join the pro-life forces in Congress. Former Indiana state Sen. Jean Leising (R) needs to first defeat another former state senator, pro-abortion Baron Hill. The winner of that race will succeed retiring Rep. Lee Hamilton, who has a mixed record on abortion. Oregon's Molly Bordonaro (R), a pro-life public relations consultant, is attempting to replace retiring pro-abortion Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse. She is being opposed by pro-abortion attorney David Wu (D).

Several pro-life members of Congress are fighting to hang on to their seats. They include Bill Redmond (R) of New Mexico, Steve Chabot (R) of Ohio, and J.D. Hayworth (R) of Arizona.

Some pro-abortion members also find themselves in especially tough races. Vic Snyder (D) of Arkansas is being challenged by pro-life state Sen. Phil Wyrick (R). Frank Pallone and Steve Rothman, both New Jersey Democrats, face tough pro-life opponents in high school and college teacher Mike Ferguson (R) and Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan (R), respectively. George Brown (D) of California was narrowly re-elected two years ago by less than a thousand votes. This year, his challenge comes from pro- life Republican businessman Elia Perozzi.

Another pro-abortion Congressman, Hawaii's Neil Abercrombie (D), also barely won re-election in 1996. Hoping to defeat him this year is pro-life state Sen. Gene Ward (R), who has been a pro- life champion in the Hawaii legislature.

As the campaign season draws to a close, pro-lifers need to find out where the candidates stand on the life issues and make sure there is at least one item on their "priority to-do" list - VOTE.