ARTICLES

A Voice for the Voiceless

PRO-LIFE PROSPECTS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

The November elections could mark a watershed year in California's political history. As President Clinton's poltical woes loom in Washington, the Democratic party is fearing a depressed turnout. Republican strategists hope to capitalize on this vulnerability, particularly in Northern California.

But pro-lifers shouldn't get their hopes up yet. Northern California voters are not as interested in pro-life issues as voters in Central and Southern California. As Michael Pucci, the Executive Director of the Butte County Republican party said to the Faith, Northern California Republicans tend to backload pro-life concerns: "In Northern California, the right to life issue is not given as high of a priority as it is further south in the state. It wasn't always the case, but with term limits, a new breed of Republicans emerged who favored fiscal issues over social issues. These are 'team player' Republicans and they are not good for pro-lifers."

One such Republican is Doug Ose, running for the 3rd Congressional seat. He knocked out pro-life Republican Barbara Alby in the open primary in June, ensuring that a pro-abortion legislator will occupy that congressional seat, said Pucci. "When Alby lost to Ose, that left two pro-abortion candidates for the November election. No matter who wins in November, pro-lifers will lose."

But one Republican pro-life candidate is doing well--Congressman John Doolittle, the incumbent in the 4th Congressional district. According to Pucci, David Shapiro, Doolittle's opponent, has conceded defeat and has stopped spending money on the campaign.

"Doolittle is outstanding on a lot of issues," remarked Pucci. "He is extremely committed to the pro-life issue."

Wally Herder, the incumbent in the 2nd Congressional district, "is another strong pro-lifer who had a solid voting record," said Pucci. Like Doolittle, Herder has been endorsed by the California Right to Life PAC.

The 11th Congressional district could stay in the hands of pro-lifers too. Republican Richard Pombo currently holds the position and receives high marks from pro-life groups. According to Jan Carol of the California ProLife Council, he is "really good" on pro-life issues.

Robert Figueroa, a pro-abortion Democrat, is Pombo's challenger in this race. Carol pointed out that this seat is critical for pro-lifers to retain given the scarcity of pro-life politicans in the Northern California area.

The California ProLife Council is also watching closely the race between Chris Quackenbush, a pro-life Republican, and Deborah Ortiz, a pro-abortion Democrat, in the 6th Senatorial distict. Ortiz is a Latino Democrat who has voted for abortion funding, abortion without parental consent and public funding of partial-birth abortion. She has voted against a provision which would have required an ultrasound prior to a Medi-Cal-funded abortion and voted against parental consent for a Medi-Cal abortion. According to Carol, Quakenbush answered the ProLife's Council's questionnaire adequately, affirming her pro-life stance and indicating that, if elected, she would vote to eliminate public funding of abortion.

Ortiz was criticized by Catholics in the Sacramento area for going to Catholic churches and introducing herself as Catholic while omitting any reference to her pro-abortion politics. A long-time Sacramento pro-life activist told the Faith about a 1993 mailer that Ortiz distributed when she ran in a special election for the Sacramento City Council. It showed Oritz posing at St. Rose's parish with the pastor, Monsignor Edward Cavanaugh. Pro-lifers were appalled at her use of the Catholic Church for her own political ends.

According to Mary Ellen McCaffrey of the Right to Life PAC, pro-lifers should also direct their atttention to the 10th Assembly district race. Anthony Pescetti, the Republican candidate, is a strong pro-life candidate who "will probably win" based on his "high name recognition factor and his crossover support from labor," she said.

McCaffrey pointed out that Pescetti's vote against Proposition 229, a bill which would have forced unions to secure their member's permission before using their dues for political purposes, won him the support of the traditionally Democratic labor interest. This could make all the difference, as that district is 43% Republican and 43% Democrat.

Pro-lifers, recognizing the significance of these elections, worked late into the night on October 5th, the last day to register voters for the November 3rd election.

TOP