Denver, Colo., Oct 9, 2010 / 16:05 pm
Recent analysis from the Associate Press (AP) and the New York Times show Democratic candidates in state races using the contentious issue of abortion against their opponents, hoping to boost what is feared to be sluggish support for the party in November's mid-term elections.
According to the AP's Sept. 30 report, New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino was the subject of a heated pro-abortion commercial when, after winning the nomination from his party, told an interviewer that he opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Abortion advocates aired commercials last week claiming that Paladino wants to treat women as criminals by outlawing abortion.
"It became pretty clear to us we had the most anti-choice candidate the state had ever seen," argued Mary Alice Carr, spokeswoman for NARAL Pro-Choice New York. The abortion supporting group has endorsed the state's Democratic nominee Andrew Cuomo.
Additionally, in the race for U.S. Senate, hopeful Republican Joe DioGuardi – a longtime abortion opponent – was recently and publicly questioned on the issue by incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.