NRL News
Page 1
October 2009
Volume 36
Issue 10

Highly Competitive Races with Vastly Different Views on Life
2009 Virginia and New Jersey Gubernatorial Elections

By Karen Cross

There are two highly visible statewide races in 2009. Both are governor’s races: one in Virginia and the other in New Jersey. There is a stark contrast between the gubernatorial candidates in both states.

Virginia

In Virginia, pro-life Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell is running against pro-abortion Democrat Creigh Deeds. Bob McDonnell has a solid record of pro-life leadership as a Virginia delegate and attorney general. Interestingly, Creigh Deeds has made his opposition to McDonnell’s pro-life views a major issue in his campaign for the Virginia governorship.

As a legislator in the Virginia General Assembly and as attorney general, Bob McDonnell sought pro-life legislation, including Virginia’s parental involvement law, the woman’s right-to-know law, and the partial-birth abortion/infanticide ban law. These protective laws are supported by the majority of Virginians.

Olivia Gans, Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL) president, explained, “Whereas Bob McDonnell has used his entire legislative career to fight for unborn children and their mothers and all innocent human life in Virginia, Creigh Deeds has spent his time in the General Assembly opposing protective laws supported by VSHL.”

As a member of the House of Delegates from 1991–2001, Deeds regularly voted to weaken or kill pro-life legislation. Regarding partial-birth abortion, he supported an amendment that would have created a loophole so large that the bill would not have stopped any abortions. On the issue of parental notification, he supported the pro-life position on one amendment and voted for final passage; however, he also voted to weaken or kill the bills procedurally. He opposed the informed consent law which requires that a woman be offered detailed information on alternatives to abortion, on scientifically accurate facts about the development of her unborn child, and on basic abortion procedures.

In a poll of Virginia voters on October 12, 2009, Rasmussen Reports found Bob McDonnell leading Creigh Deeds by seven percentage points, 50% to 43%.

This is not the first political race between Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds. In 2005, McDonnell narrowly defeated Deeds in Virginia’s race for lieutenant governor. Bob McDonnell won by 323 votes out of 1.9 million cast. That’s one person in every seven precincts in Virginia.

New Jersey

In New Jersey, pro-life Republican Chris Christie, a former federal prosecutor, is challenging pro-abortion Democrat Governor Jon Corzine, who is running for reelection.

Pro-life Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) said, “Chris Christie and I share a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in society ... ”

Chris Christie opposes abortion and supports protection for unborn children. He opposes using taxpayer dollars to organizations that promote or perform abortion, and he opposes partial-birth abortion. Chris Christie supports legislation which recognizes unborn children as victims when they are injured or killed in violent federal crimes.

In contrast, while a U.S. senator, Jon Corzine voted against a bill to ban partial-birth abortion. This would have allowed partial-birth abortions to continue with no restrictions. He voted to give tax dollars to organizations that promote or perform abortion in other countries. Jon Corzine voted against “Laci and Conner’s Law,” which recognizes unborn children as victims when they are injured or killed in violent federal crimes.

Jon Corzine supports the current policy of abortion on demand, which allows abortion for any reason.

Anne Perone, president of the New Jersey Committee for Life, stated, “Chris Christie is solidly pro-life. Governor Corzine, as a U.S. senator, voted solidly pro-abortion.”

Real Clear Politics has Chris Christie narrowly leading Jon Corzine by 1.2% as of October 15, 2009, in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race.

Whatever polls may say today, veteran observers expect both elections to be highly competitive and decided by the candidate who generates the most enthusiasm among his followers.