Romney Surrogate Assures Voters Roe v. Wade Will Remain Intact
A top Romney surrogate told a gathering of primarily Jewish voters in Beachwood, Ohio, on Monday that if the former Massachusetts governor is elected, that Roe v. Wade will most likely not be overturned during a Romney presidency.
Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), who is also Jewish and is pro-life, was answering a question pertaining to the influence of Christian evangelicals in the Republican Party according to a video of Coleman's remarks by FeatureStory News.
"The reality is that choice is an issue for a lot of people, a very important issue," said Coleman. "President Bush was president eight years; Roe v. Wade wasn't reversed. He had two Supreme Court picks; Roe v. Wade wasn't reversed. It's not going to be reversed."
Like several states have recently attempted to do, Romney made reference during the GOP primary to eliminating government funds from Planned Parenthood, who is the nation's largest abortion provider. He has also talked of appointing conservative judges to the Supreme Court.
However, Romney appeared to have softened his tone somewhat on abortion. Earlier this month, he told the Des Moines Register that if elected in November, he would not pursue legislation that would end abortion. His campaign immediately backtracked the comment, saying Romney his solidly pro-life.
But Planned Parenthood is taking no chances. They are spending $1.4 million in their latest ad buy designed to remind voters that Romney does not support abortion on demand and will appoint conservative judges to the bench.
What Romney has said in recent interviews is that the U.S. is not prepared to deal with a constitutional amendment that would ban abortion, but that Roe v. Wade should be overturned so that states can make their own laws pertaining to abortion.
"It is my preference that would return to the states and to the people and their elected representatives the issue of abortion as opposed to having the federal government impose, the Supreme Court impose, its view on a one-vote majority," Romney told the Columbus Dispatch earlier this month.
The most recent polling suggests that Romney has a slight edge in the key swing state of Ohio, but almost every major poll shows both he and President Obama in a virtual dead heat.