Because the Republicans most likely to vote in an August primary are those with the most conservative views, it's not enough for GOP candidates to be "pro-life" anymore. It follows that most of the Republican candidates are trying to prove themselves uniquely worthy of the coveted pro-life vote.
But in the 4th Congressional District's GOP primary, front-runners Mike Pompeo and Wink Hartman hold positions that would crumble at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Pompeo, who won Kansans for Life's endorsement, opposes abortion except when necessary to save a woman's life.
Hartman goes further, opposing abortion across the board as well as birth-control pills, morning-after pills, intra-uterine devices and even saying of condom use —"I don't like it, but I can live with it."
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While many Kansans check a calendar to make sure it's still 2010, both candidates should check the multiple Supreme Court decisions on abortion.
In Roe v. Wade and since, the court has made it clear that states cannot limit a woman's right to abortion before fetal viability and must allow abortion after viability (the 23rd or 24th week of pregnancy) to preserve a woman's life or health, including her mental health.
Until the court decides otherwise, candidates' talk of stricter limits is just pandering.
Meanwhile, the differentiation strains in the case of Reps. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, and Jerry Moran, R-Hays, who each want to be the state's next U.S. senator.
Tiahrt's and Moran's lifetime ratings from the National Right to Life Committee are 100 and 98 percent, respectively — with Moran at odds with the national group on only two of 90 votes since 1997, both regarding federal prescription drug benefits for the elderly.
The Family Research Council and Focus on the Family scored Tiahrt and Moran at 97 and 94 percent, respectively, with none of Moran's opposing votes having come on abortion. Yet Tiahrt, not Moran, won endorsements from Kansans for Life, the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. To curry such favor, the Tiahrt campaign has had to excavate 20-year-old votes Moran cast as a state senator and chide him for being slower to co-sponsor anti-abortion bills.
Truth is, a vote for either Tiahrt or Moran is a vote against abortion rights. The same can be said for most of the Republicans seeking jobs in Congress, with only 4th District candidate state Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita, supporting current law, 1st District candidate Sue Boldra allowing for the possibility of exceptions to banning abortions and long-shot Senate candidate Tom Little advocating that women make their own decisions about reproductive health.
There is nothing new in this summer's race to the far right on abortion. But voters should be skeptical of candidates whose positions on abortion carelessly disregard court decisions.
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