2002 Elections Give Pro-Life Candidates Control of Congress



Washington, DC — Across the country, the 2002 election results are giving pro-life advocates a reason to be excited about the future prospects for Congressional pro-life legislation and the confirmation of pro-life nominees to important court seats that often determine the fate of pro-life bills approved in state legislatures.

Retaking the Senate, triumphant pro-life senators were relishing their second chance to put more people who will uphold pro-life laws in federal judgeships and hoping for a Supreme Court vacancy that would begin tilting the Court towards overturning Roe vs. Wade.

Carol Tobias, director of the National Right to Life political action committee called the election results a “triumph over pro-abortion organizations that poured a lot of money into these elections.”

Republicans are assured of at least 51 seats in the 100-member Senate, and could pick up one more as pro-abortion Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu faces a Dec. 7 runoff with pro-life candidate Suzie Terrell.

This gives newly-appointed pro-life Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) a chance to replace pro-abortion Senator Tom Daschle as the Senate's legislative bouncer.

Pro-life candidates held on to or won Senate seats including eight of the ten top Senate races in the country. In contrast, EMILY's List, the pro-abortion political group, lost 17 of their 22 top races.

Congressional races were also kind to pro-life advocates.

“Two-thirds of the newly elected House members are pro-life. Once again, the pro-life issue has proved to be a winning issue for candidates.”

Exit polling conducted by the Fox News Channel revealed the pro-life position continues to help candidates at the polls.

Abortion appeared to be a major factor in the election of pro-life candidate Jim Talent in the Missouri Senate race. According to exist surveys conducted by the Fox News Channel, voters picked abortion as the second most important issue on which they based their vote. Of those voters, approximately 80 percent chose pro-life candidate Talent over pro-abortion Senator Jean Carnahan.

“It would certainly be fair to say Sen. Carnahan was defeated on the pro-life issue,” explained Doug Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life.

In both the Georgia Senate and Governor races, where pro-lifers Saxby Chambliss and Sonny Perdue won upset victories, nine percent of voters based their decision mostly on the abortion issue. Chambliss received 73 percent of the vote of those voters in his race and Perdue 65 percent of the abortion voters in his victory.

Approximately 14 percent of Minnesota voters said abortion was their top issue &#0151 third highest of all political issues. There, pro-life candidate Norm Coleman had a 81-17 percent edge over pro-abortion candidate Walter Mondale and abortion voters gave pro-life gubernatorial-nominee Tim Pawlenty a 76 to 9 percent edge over his nearest foe.

Pro-life Democratic candidates also fared well.

In Maine, pro-life State Sen. Mike Michaud (D) defeated pro-abortion candidate Kevin Raye (R) 52% to 48%. Pro–life Democrat Lincoln Davis won the race to represent a Tennessee congressional district. And in Louisiana, a pro-life Democrat Rodney Alexander will advance to the December runoff in another district.

Highlights of key Senate election results:

Arkansas: Pro-abortion Attorney General Mark Pryor (D) defeated pro-life Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R) 54% to 46%.

Colorado: Pro-life Sen. Wayne Allard (R) defeated pro-abortion candidate Tom Strickland (D) 51% to 45%.

Georgia: Pro-life Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R) defeated pro-abortion Sen. Max Cleland (D) 53% to 46% with 99% of precincts reporting.

Iowa: Pro-abortion Sen. Tom Harkin (D) defeated pro-life Rep. Greg Ganske (R) 54% to 44%.

Louisiana: Pro-abortion Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) will run against pro-life state Election Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell (R) in a Dec. 7 runoff election. Landrieu captured 46% of the vote, while Terrell garnered 27%.

Minnesota: Pro-life candidate Norm Coleman (R) defeated pro-abortion former Vice President Walter Mondale (D) 50% to 48%.

Missouri: Pro-life Rep. Jim Talent (R) defeated pro-abortion Sen. Jean Carnahan (D) 50% to 49%.

New Hampshire: Pro-life Rep. John Sununu (R) defeated pro-abortion Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) 51% to 47%.

New Jersey: Pro-abortion ex-Senator Frank Lautenberg (D) defeated mixed-record candidate Douglas Forrester (R) 54% to 44%.

North Carolina: Pro-life candidate Elizabeth Dole (R) defeated pro-abortion candidate Erskine Bowles (D) 54% to 45%.

Oregon: Pro-life Sen. Gordon Smith (R) defeated pro-abortion Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury (D) 58% to 38%.

South Carolina: Pro-life Rep. Lindsey Graham (R) defeated pro-abortion candidate Alex Sanders (D) 54% to 44%.

South Dakota: Pro-abortion Sen. Tim Johnson (D) defeated pro-life Rep. John Thune (R) y a narrow margin.

Texas: Pro-life Attorney General John Cornyn (R) defeated pro-abortion candidate Ron Kirk (D) 55% to 43%.

(This article courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)

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