CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, November 3, 1994
3A
Abortion issue no longer burning topic for candidates
Although abortion isn't a hot topic in this year's elections, voters remain influenced by candidates' stances on the law
By David Wilson
Kansan staff writer
For seven turbulent weeks in 1991, Kansas was thrust onto the center stage of the abortion debate.
Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group headed by Randall Terry, staged a 46-day drive against Women's Health Care Services, a Wichita abortion clinic. More than 2,000 abortion protesters were arrested. Federal marshals were called in to keep protesters from blocking access to the clinic. Even President Bush weighed in on the imbroglio, urging protesters to keep their actions within the law.
"It's not much of an issue this year,"
But this year, crime and the state budget have pushed the abortion issue to the back burner, observers say.
said Allan Cigler, professor of political science. "Social issues in general have taken a back seat to other issues."
In the race for governor, neither Republican Bill Graves nor Democrat Jim Slattery has made abortion an issue, Cigler said. Cigler doesn't expect that to change once the new governor takes office.
"The new Legislature will be more conservative than past Legislatures," he said. "But the fact that the new governor won't give it priority will make it less of an issue."
The new governor is more likely to concentrate on crime and the state budget, which would offset any efforts by the Legislature to toughen abortion laws, he said.
Tom Grelinger, Kansas City, Kan., senior and vice-president of KU Students for Life, agreed.
"Neither candidate wants to touch it with a 10-foot pole," he said.
Sarah Deer, Lawrence senior and a member of KU Pro-Choice Coalition, said Bill Graves was a stronger supporter of abortion rights. Deer, who is a Democrat, said she would consider crossing party lines to vote for Graves.
In the race for state representative from the 46th district — which includes most of the KU campus — Deer said she was supporting Democrat Troy Findley, who is running against Republican Eric Schmidt and Libertarian Ena Wheeler.
"I'm supporting Findley due to Eric Schmidt's anti-choice rhetoric," she said
Schmidt avoids taking a strong stand against abortion but has said that
women should not be encouraged to have abortions.
That's a typical approach, Cigler said. A candidate opposed to abortion is likely to suggest that there be a statewide referendum on the issue rather than say abortion should be outlawed, he said.
Likewise, candidates who support legal abortion are likely to soften their stance by saying that they personally don't approve of abortion but would not want to impose that view on others, he said.
Some critics have coined the term "stealth candidate" to describe office seekers who campaign as moderates but take a strong stand against abortion once they are elected.
Grelinger doesn't buy the term. He said Kay. Rep O'Connor, a Republican
from Olathe, had been accused of being a stealth candidate.
"I don't think it's true," he said. "She's pro-life, but that's not her focus."
But Deer said the Legislature — with the help of Gov. Joan Finney — had managed to restrict abortion rights.
In 1992, Finney signed a bill requiring unmarried women under 18 to get the permission of one parent before having an abortion and installed waiting periods for women seeking abortions.
Deer said the requirements were too stringent.
"I support abortion at all three trimesters and no parental consent," she said. "But I don't know if that's going to happen any time soon."
But Grelinger said the restrictions didn't go far enough. He opposes all abortions.
GRAVES — He supports the existing Kansas laws on abortion. He favors no further restriction or liberalization of state law.
GOVERNOR
WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND
Bill Graves (R)
SLATTERY — He said he supported, and as governor would defend, a woman's constitutional right to choose an abortion consistent with current Kansas law. He said he would.
Jim Slattery (D)
oppose any proposals to make current Kansas abortion law more restrictive or less restrictive.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Carla Stovall (R)
SCHODDRF—Hes
said he support-
ed abortion
rights.
Richard Schodorf (D)
MEYERS—She said she supported abortion rights, "I just think that if you have any kind of mandate you run into some real problems," she said. "I support a woman's right to medical healthcare."
U.S. HOUSE — 3RD DISTRICT
Jan Meyers (R)
HANCOCK — "I absolutely, firmly in a woman's fundamental right to control her own body," she said.
abortions in the case of rape, incest or a malformed fetus."
Judy Hancock (D)
U.S. HOUSE — 2ND DISTRICT
BROWBACK — "I don't think the Congress should legislate or fund abortion," he said. He said he opposed the freedom of choice act. He also said he opposed all abortion except in the cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother.
Sam Brownback (R)
John Carlin (D)
CARLIN — He said he supported abortion rights but does not personally support abortion. He also does not support government financing of abortion. "I trust women more than I trust the government on this issue," he said.
KANSAS HOUSE----44TH
BALLARD — She said she supported abortion rights. People should not intervene in the personal choices of others, she said.
Barbara Ballard (D)
KANSAS HOUSE - 45TH
SLOAN — He said he supported abortion rights. "I don't believe the state has a right to control a woman's body," he said. "The quality of life is more important than the quantity of life."
Tom Sloan (R)
Forrest Swail (D)
SWALL — He said he supported abortion rights. "Abortion law constitutes the single-most intrusive laws of government," he said. "I'm not sympathetic to the wide use of abortion, but I do think women should have
access to all available birth control methods."
KANSAS HOUSE — 46TH
SCHMIDT • He said he supported waiting periods for women seeking abortions.
Eric Schmidt (R)
Troy Findley (D)
FLOWER — She said she was an anti-abortion advocate, but she said that some instances might warrant abortions.
KANSAS HOUSE - 47TH
Joann Flower (R)
Charlie Geist (D)
GEIST—He said he was an anti-abortion advocate, but he said he still thought there were some cases where abortions were necessary, "I'd hate to see abortion as a method of birth control," he said.
BUHLER — He declined to comment, saying that abortion was not an issue that would be addressed by the Douglas County Commission.
Mark Buhler (R)
DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMISSION
Lisa Blair (D)
BLAIR — She declined to comment, saying that abortion was not an issue that would be addressed by the Douglas County Commission.
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