News

By Peter J. Smith

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 2, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – As we await tonight’s election results, here are several pro-life governor’s races worth looking at. LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) will keep readers abreast of the results of these races and others as the night progresses. 

Pennsylvania: Tom Corbett (R) v. Dan Onorato (D)

A pro-life Catholic and state attorney general, Corbett leads Democrat Oronato in all pre-election day polls. Corbett is one of 19 state attorneys general suing the federal government over the national health care law.

Oronato, on the other hand, has stated that he is only “personally pro-life” and would veto any attempt to criminalize abortion if Roe v. Wade were overturned.

Illinois: Bill Brady (R) v. Pat Quinn (D)

After a long line of pro-abortion Democrat governors, it now looks like the GOP’s pro-life Bill Brady may just oust Democrat incumbent Pat Quinn, who replaced disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Public Policy Polling has Brady up 45 percent to Quinn’s 40 percent in an Oct. 31 poll.

Brady opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest, opposes same-sex “marriage” and the legalization of video gambling (he called video poker “the scourge of Illinois” in a recent debate).

Quinn, on the other hand, has called for the repeal of Illinois’s embattled 1995 parental notice law, and supports restoring the state’s Medicaid funding of abortion. He also supports extending marital rights and privileges to same-sex couples.

A double whammy for Democrats would be for Illinois to not only elect a GOP governor, but also a GOP Senator to fill President Barack Obama’s old seat.

Ohio: John Kasich (R) v. Ted Strickland (D)

The pro-life John Kasich is trying to take down pro-abortion Democrat incumbent Ted Strickland, and has been leading him in the polls by just bare margins.

A Kasich win poses a grave problem for Democrats: redistricting. With the GOP in control of the governor’s mansion and the legislature, GOP gerrymandering is likely to edge them out of a few more seats in Congress.

California: Jerry Brown (D) v. Meg Whitman (R)

This race leans Democrat and has important implications for Prop. 8, the state’s ban on same-sex “marriage,” but not so much for abortion. Both Brown and Whitman share pro-abortion positions.

But Brown has pledged not to defend the constitutional amendment from a constitutional challenge in the federal appeals court.

Defenders of the amendment currently are having to prove they have the standing to represent the amendment in the federal appeals process. However, a Whitman win would render the issue moot, as the GOPer has pledged to defend the law as soon as she becomes governor.

A PPP survey shows Brown ahead of Whitman, 51 percent to 46 percent. Still, a turnaround is possible in the state where polls predicted a defeat for Prop. 8 on the eve it was passed by the electorate in 2008.

Kansas: Sam Brownback (R) v. Tom Holland (D)

Brownback, a well-known pro-life hero in this state, has this race wrapped up completely against Democrat Tom Holland. For over a month, the polls have shown Brownback at least 27 points ahead of Holland.

Brownback will succeed Gov. Mark Parkinson, who is finishing out the four-year term of pro-abortion and former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius stepped down from her office to become Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

A Brownback win means pro-life legislation will finally move forward in Kansas, now that abortionists have lost a long time ally in the governor’s office.

Minnesota: Tom Emmer (R) v. Mark Dayton (D) v. Tom Horner (I)

Emmer is the GOP’s pro-life, pro-family nominee. He has campaigned heavily on economic issues, but his efforts have been dogged by Tom Horner’s independent campaign. Horner appeals to more liberal members of the state GOP, and differs strongly with Emmer on social issues.

Dayton is both pro-abortion and pro-gay on the issues, and seems to have benefited more than lost from Horner’s candidacy.

Turnout, however, will decide the race. Public Policy Polling’s survey from Oct. 29 showed a three point gap between Dayton and Emmer: Dayton, 43 percent; Emmer, 40 percent; Horner, 15 percent.

Florida: Rick Scott (R) v. Alex Sink (D)

If pro-life Rick Scott pulls out a win in the Sunshine State, Democrats will probably have a very long night ahead of them. Scott has suffered from high negatives, and has see-sawed in the polls with pro-abortion candidate Alex Sink, who is endorsed by Emily’s List.

A Sunshine State News poll taken on the eve of the election shows Scott with a four point lead: Scott, 49 percent; Sink 45 percent.

Matt Ozolnieks, chairman of Florida Right to Life PAC, told LSN that Florida was experiencing an unprecedented  “wave of pro-life enthusiasm.” This factor, along with the Tea Party on the march, should benefit Scott.

Democrats, on the other hand, have needed President Bill Clinton to campaign there, and rally turnout for Sink and U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek.

If a GOP wave is coming, it should show in these polls first.

Colorado: John Hickenlooper (D) v. Tom Tancredo (ACP) v. Dan Maes (R)

The latest polls show pro-abortion Hickenlooper with either a three or five point advantage over pro-life Tom Tancredo, a former GOPer running on the American Constitution Party ticket.

Maes, the GOP’s pro-life nominee, has floundered in the polls, owing to a number of missteps, including misrepresenting his Kansas law enforcement experience to the public. In a rare twist, Maes may end up spoiling a third party candidate’s chances.