Washington, Massachusetts Among States To Hold September Primaries

By Carol Long Tobias
NRL PAC Director

With a little less than half of the states' primary elections yet to be settled, there still remain important races for pro- lifers. One of the higher profile races will be settled in a September 15 Republican primary in Washington state.

Chris Bayley and Rep. Linda Smith are seeking the GOP nomination to challenge pro-abortion Democratic Sen. Patty Murray. Both Bayley and Smith have pro-life positions. Both support reversal of Roe v. Wade and oppose tax funding of abortions. Both support the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and the Child Custody Protection Act.

Linda Smith (among others) has recently been criticized by National Right to Life for her two votes in favor of the Shays-Meehan campaign finance "reform" legislation. (See story, this page.) The Shays-Meehan bill, which passed the House, would ban any organization, other than a federal political action committee (PAC), from even mentioning the name of an incumbent member of Congress or other candidate in a broadcast communication within 60 days of a primary or general election.

Chris Bayley has stated his strong opposition to bills such as Shays-Meehan and supports freedom of speech about Members of Congress, their positions, and voting records, for citizens' groups such as right to life chapters and NRLC.

The Shays-Meehan bill also includes stringent year-round restrictions for incorporated organizations, other than PACs, on any print, broadcast, or other communication with the public that criticizes or praises a member of Congress or a candidate for federal office.

If this radically undemocratic bill became law, it would be extremely difficult to advance public policy to protect unborn children.

The congressional seat left vacant when Rep. Smith decided to run for the Senate has drawn four pro-life Republicans and one pro-abortion Democrat. The Republicans, state Senator Don Benton, former Smith aide Pat Fiske, chiropractor Paul Phillips, and physician Rick Jackson, have all taken strong pro-life positions and have stated their opposition to so-called "campaign finance reform" legislation, like the Shays-Meehan bill which would repress free speech. The winner will take on pro-abortion Democrat Brian Baird, a college professor who was Smith's 1996 opponent.

An important race that offers a good chance for a pro-life pickup is in Massachusetts where pro-abortion Congressman Joe Kennedy (D) is retiring.

Pro-life Ray Flynn, formerly both mayor of Boston and U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, is seeking the Democratic nomination along with nine pro-abortion candidates.

Abortion has been an issue in the campaign, with Flynn's opponents trying to paint him as an "extremist" for his pro-life views. However, in this district, made up of heavily ethnic and Catholic populations, his pro-life position should be an advantage.

While the Boston Globe has repeatedly argued that Flynn's pro-life views will hurt him in the race, a recent Globe op-ed piece seemed to take a different tack: "...even among pro-choice voters, how many are inclined to hold Flynn's view on abortion, a by-product of his deeply felt Catholicism, against him, compared with those who might give an otherwise liberal candidate credit for holding firm to a politically incorrect conviction?"

In this heavily Democratic district, the winner of the September 15 primary is virtually a shoo-in to win the November election.

For pro-life Wisconsin Rep. Mark Neumann, the September 8 primary is a formality as he is the only Republican challenging pro-abortion Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold. Feingold, who voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, is also co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance "reform" bill, the Senate companion to the Shays-Meehan bill.

Demonstrating just how extreme he is, during Senate debate on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, Feingold was asked whether the abortion should continue if the baby's head slips out from the birth canal during the procedure. He responded, "I am not the person to be answering that question. That is a question that should be answered by a doctor, and by the woman who receives advice from the doctor."

Neumann's seat in the House will be contested by pro-life Republican Paul Ryan, formerly an aide to Senator Sam Brownback (R-Ks.), and pro-abortion nurse Lydia Spottswood, the likely winner of a Democratic primary.

On September 1, Republican voters in Nevada will choose their nominee to replace pro-life Rep. John Ensign who is running for Senate. The leading Republicans in that race are pro-life and the winner will face off against pro-abortion Democrat Shelley Berkley, who has been endorsed by EMILY's List, a feminist political action committee which supports only pro-abortion Democrat women.

As candidates travel the district or state, seeking support for their campaigns, grassroots pro-lifers should ask the candidates where they stand on the life issues and on so-called campaign finance "reform." A candidate who supports such "reform" legislation, such as Shays-Meehan or McCain-Feingold, is helping to silence pro-life organizations which would severely harm the cause of unborn babies.