Last week, rumors began to swirl surrounding the possibility that long time pro-choice activist Kate Michelman would enter the Pennsylvania Senate race as an independent, potentially making Democrat Bob Casey's challenge to GOP Sen. Rick Santorum more difficult. But as Benjamin Y. Lowe reports for The Philadelphia Enquirer, a Michelman candidacy is not to be.
Abortion-rights activist Kate Michelman won't run in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race.Despite pressure from abortion-rights supporters, the former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America said she would not be an independent candidate in the November election, which will likely feature two candidates who oppose abortion: Democrat Bob Casey Jr. and incumbent Republican Rick Santorum.
"Despite profound and fundamental differences, I have decided that Pennsylvania will be better served by electing Bob Casey to the U.S. Senate than giving his opponent another term," Michelman wrote in an op-ed to be published in The Inquirer on Sunday. "I do this knowing that I may forever regret not responding one more time to the clarion call of principle."
Bob Casey is not the most exciting Democratic Senate candidate in the country this year, nor is he the most progressive, but at this point, a Democratic victory in Pennsylvania is necessary for the party to have any shot at retaking the Senate in November.
In order for the Senate intelligence panel to open real investigations into the White House's case to go to war in Iraq or the Bush administration's domestic wiretapping program, Casey pretty much needs to win this fall. If the Senate Budget Committee is going to refrain from making cuts to essential programs like foodstamps and Medicare, it's almost necessary that Casey defeats Santorum. If Senate Democrats are to have the ability to vote down extreme conservatives to the federal bench, Casey almost certainly needs to win. (Even if Casey does not support such tactics, a Democratic Senate -- and thus a Democratic Judiciary Committee -- could ensure that extremist nominees never see the light of day.)
Would Kate Michelman have added to the race? Would she have made a good Senator? The answer to both of these questions is probably yes. Nevertheless, in the interest of increasing the likelihood that the Democrats win back the United States Senate in November, it's good to see that she will not make an independent bid and help split the Democratic vote against Rick Santorum, thus helpind deliver the Senate Republican Conference Chairman another six years in Washington.
|
|
|
Permalink :: 12 Comments :: Post a Comment
|
In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.
If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.
