Santorum’s Struggle

Rick Santorum, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, tells the National Catholic Register that he is the true pro-life candidate in this year’s race:

HARRISBURG, Penn. — Incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Santorum and his Democratic challenger, Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey Jr., are both Catholic. And both say they are pro-life.

But there are major differences in the two candidates’ positions on a number of key life and family issues.

And in those areas where they hold divergent positions on life and family issues, Santorum appears to be the one who follows Church teachings, an analysis of the candidates’ recent statements indicates.

Santorum, who is seeking his third term as senator, has made his pro-life convictions a centerpiece of his political career.

His campaign website (RickSantorum.com) highlights his pro-life record on a number of issues, including his support for the ban on partial-birth abortion, for the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and the Born-Alive Protection Act and his opposition to embryonic stem-cell research.

“We have endorsed Sen. Santorum, because he has a record of being there for unborn children, and actually taking leadership in the Senate for unborn children as he did in the House,” said Darla St. Martin, co-director of National Right to Life Committee. “He’s always been a leader in protecting unborn children.”

Casey is the son of the late Gov. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania. Gov. Casey became a hero to pro-life Democrats after he was barred from speaking at the 1992 Democratic national convention because of his strong anti-abortion beliefs.

But while the younger Casey has declared he is also pro-life on abortion, his own campaign website (BobCasey.com) contains little mention of his position on abortion or other life issues.

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Another concern to pro-lifers is Casey’s position on judicial appointments. Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked votes on confirming pro-life judicial candidates nominated by President Bush.

According to an article in the Nov. 14, 2005 issue of The New Yorker, pro-abortion Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has assured other Democratic senators that Casey would be completely supportive of Democratic efforts to block pro-life judicial nominees.

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