Pro-lifers hang back on Senate blessing
ANCHORAGE - An Alaska anti-abortion group declined to endorse a candidate in the state's U.S. Senate race, but described Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski as the "better viable candidate for our issues."
Alaska Right to Life says Murkowski has had a mixed voting record on abortion issues.
"In Lisa's case, it is neither an endorsement nor a recommendation, it's advice to our voting public," said Ed Wassell, the organization's president.
Murkowski is standing for election Nov. 2 against the Democratic candidate, two-term former governor Tony Knowles.
The group announced full endorsements for two other Republicans, President Bush and U.S. Rep. Don Young.
Elliott Bundy, spokesman for the Murkowski campaign, said, "We're happy to receive support from Alaska Right to Life in the manner they've chosen to give it."
The board's 13 members had a difficult time with the Senate endorsement, Wassell said.
The board unanimously decided that the "worst" choice was Knowles, who has described abortion as a private choice between a woman and her doctor, he said.
A Murkowski spokeswoman has described Murkowski as against abortion, but recognizes its legality.
"We spent two hours arguing about the wording and went through six, seven, eight iterations on the wording," Wassell said. "We were divided."
U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., personally visited the board, and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., spent 30 to 45 minutes calling from an airport, both on behalf of Murkowski.
"When a U.S. senator flies 5,000 miles round-trip from Washington, D.C., it's hard not be impacted - he's the most recognized pro-life leader in the entire Senate - and then the next day we had his counterpart in the House of Representatives on the phone," Wassell said. "It's difficult to not be impressed. But the other side of the coin is, most of our people are very, very independent-thinking. Sometimes the pushing can actually shove you in the other direction."
Jerry Sanders, the Alaskan Independence Party candidate, had also sought the group's endorsement, but board members questioned his viability as a candidate.