In wake of Guadagno pick, New Jersey Right to Life unlikely to endorse Christie

By Matt Friedman | July 20th, 2009 - 4:45pm
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Now that Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie has selected a pro-choice running mate, the state’s biggest pro-life advocacy group is unlikely to endorse him.

“With the lieutenant governor pick, I don’t see how we can endorse someone who has a pro-choice running mate,” said New Jersey Right to Life Executive Director Marie Tasy.  

Christie today tapped Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno to run for lieutenant governor on his ticket.  She revealed her that she is pro-choice at a press conference with Christie in Asbury Park today.  

Tasy stressed that the endorsement decision is not up solely to her, but to a panel of four leaders of the group’s political action committee that includes her.  

New Jersey Right to Life stayed out of the Republican gubernatorial primary, since both Christie and Lonegan said they were against abortion.

“We take Chris Christie at his word that if elected he will work to enact life-protecting laws that are overwhelmingly supported by New Jersey voters,” said Tasy.  

While Guadagno’s place on the ticket looks like a deal breaker for the pro-life group, the pick doesn’t appear to be winning Christie any support on the other side of the spectrum.

Michele Jaker, the executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Committee, said that her group is “eagerly awaiting any information on Kim Guadango's positions on reproductive health care.”

“We are sending her a candidate questionnaire today and look forward to learning more about her positions on these important issues.  Unfortunately, we know that Chris Christie opposes a woman's right to choose and has vowed to roll back reproductive rights if elected.  And at the end of the day, you don't get to cast a vote for her without voting for him,” she said. 

Despite passionate advocates on both sides of the abortion divide, the gubernatorial election is unlikely to turn on the issue.  Only one percent of respondents to a Monmouth University/Gannett poll released last week said that abortion was a top issue that the candidates for governor should talk about.  

Tags:

Spinning their wheels

Submitted by NJPantherFan on July 20, 2009 - 3:50pm.

Two groups looking for relevancy in an election that will be focused on fiscal issues, as it should. Social issues have no place at the table this go-round, and the sooner everyone realizes that, the sooner we can get onto fixing the real problems with this state.

If there is one thing that is clear...

Submitted by Di Marco on July 20, 2009 - 4:24pm.

"We take Chris Christie at his word"

...that is a big mistake.

One Issue people are scary

Submitted by surferboy23 on July 20, 2009 - 5:59pm.

At 29 years old, there is so many more important issues that confront my generation. And those who find themselves voting for a candidate based on a single issue should be banned from voting, it's just stupid. DUMP CORZINE!

If NJRTL...

Submitted by bjtnj on July 20, 2009 - 6:03pm.

If NJRTF really wanted to move the state towards their preferred position, they wouldn't wait for the perfect candidate to come along before endorsing them. Rather they'd support the candidate most likely to support the incremental changes that would eventually bring the state closer to the NJRTL ideal.

Assuming that a NJRTL endorsement would actually help muster socially-conservative voters who might otherwise stay at home, it would be irresponsible of NJRTL to withhold their endorsement of, in their view, a "less-than-perfect ticket." Of course, this also assumes that a NJRTL endorsement would not actually hurt Christie with independent voters, which is a possibility. However, if NJRTL is waiting for perfection before offering their nod, they might end up becomming the enemy of the good, and in this case, sacrificing a step towards realizing their championed cause.

two cents,

b

SO, DO YOU WANT A PRO LIFE CANDIDATE?

Submitted by newjerseyfordum... on July 20, 2009 - 8:20pm.

 THIS IS MY PRO LIFE CANDIDATE! WRITE IN STEVE LONEGAN

Amen Surfer

Submitted by the oc on July 21, 2009 - 8:15am.

Amen Surferboy. And write in Lonegan? That ship has sailed and sunk. He ran twice and couldn't get out of either primary. He is done.

This is what you get ...

Submitted by RightForNJ on July 21, 2009 - 11:09am.

NJRTL screwed up big-time in not endorsing Steve Lonegan in the primary.  Christie's pro-life credentials are as weak as they come and his LG pick proves that.  It also shows Rep Smith's foolishness in jumping on the Christie bandwagon.  He may be a federal representative, but he's now been re-introduced to getting stabbed in the back by the NJ 'Republican' anti-life machine. 

"“With the lieutenant

Submitted by CliffordCase on July 21, 2009 - 1:11pm.

"“With the lieutenant governor pick, I don’t see how we can endorse someone who has a pro-choice running mate,” said New Jersey Right to Life Executive Director Marie Tasy."

Nobody cares who they endorse. If they had their way Alan Keyes wsould be president. Just a bunch of Taliban rightwingers whose bark is always worse than their bite.

The only reason they didn't endorse Lonegan is because they didn't want to embarrass themselves backing a loser.

I wonder if Marie ever considers ...

Submitted by Number 6 on July 21, 2009 - 8:48pm.

... endorsing pro-life Dems?

Snake Pliskin?  I heard you were dead.

Wake-Up Call

Morning News Digest: February 9, 2010

Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...

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