2018 ME Senate race: on Abortion


Eric Brakey: Pro-life, and anti-ObamaCare

All of Senator Brakey's positions and comments come from the 2016 CCL Candidate Survey [as reported on maine.patriotguide.us]:

Q: Do you generally support or oppose abortion?

Eric Brakey: Oppose. "I am Pro-Life."

Q: Do you support or oppose a repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)?

Eric Brakey: Support. "Obamacare has made healthcare more expensive, not less. We need free market solutions."

Source: Christian Civic League on 2018 Maine Senate race Nov 1, 2018

Eric Brakey: Oppose funding Planned Parenthood; require parental consent

Q: Do you support or oppose public funding for Planned Parenthood and/or Maine Family Planning?

Eric Brakey: Oppose. "Opponents of abortion should not be forced to support this practice with their tax dollars."

Q: Do you support or oppose requiring parental consent for minor women obtaining an abortion?

Eric Brakey: Support. "This is a major medical procedure and should not be undertaken without parental consent and notification."

Source: Christian Civic League on 2018 Maine Senate race Nov 1, 2018

Zak Ringelstein: Publicly-funded reproductive healthcare for women

The Southern Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (SMDSA) voted on Monday, March 12 to endorse Zak Ringelstein for US Senate in the June Primary. He supports medicare for all and full, publicly-funded reproductive healthcare for women, including abortion.
Source: Southern Maine DSA Press Release on 2018 Maine Senate race Mar 27, 2018

Chris Lyons: Life is precious; abortion only if maternal life at risk

Q: You oppose abortion as a woman's right--how do you reconcile that with libertarian ideals of self-government?

A: A usual retort to my opposition to abortion is I am a male wanting to control women. Farthest thing from the truth. We are equals regardless of our differences. My contention is life is precious.

Q: So you believe that abortion takes a life?

A: There is a thing called the 'morning after pill' which prevents conception. Is not the prevention of conception more reasonable than the termination of a life? It further seems reasonable to me that the 'morning after pill' would be far more desirable than any form of personal invasiveness of an abortion. Thus, the next question is, is the 'morning after pill' readily available anywhere at very low cost? The answer is yes. This was not the case 20 + years ago but is most assuredly the case now. Therefore, the only reason that abortion would be an acceptable form is if the mother's life is endangered.

Source: Follow-up OnTheIssues interview: 2018 Maine Senate candidate Mar 10, 2018

Chris Lyons: Oppose abortion as an unrestricted right

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right"?

A: oppose

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maine Senate candidate Mar 6, 2018

Susan Collins: Joined Democrats to fund Planned Parenthood

Senate Republicans, aided by Vice President Mike Pence and an ailing Georgia colleague who gingerly made his way to the Capitol with the aid of a wheelchair and a walker, voted Thursday to undo an Obama administration rule preventing states from blocking funding for family planning clinics that also provide abortions.

Democrats all voted against the bill, as did two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski have long opposed attacks on funding Planned Parenthood, which they argue provides services for women in areas with scarce health care options.

Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, who returned after two back surgeries, was cleared by his doctors to travel for one day only to help pass the measure, but it took Pence's final vote to break the 50-50 tie. The measure will now head to Trump's desk, a onetime supporter of Planned Parenthood who adopted an anti-abortion rights position during the campaign.

Source: N.Y.Times on 2018 Maine Senate race Mar 30, 2017

  • The above quotations are from 2018 Maine Senate race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Angus King on Abortion.
Candidates and political leaders on Abortion:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 11, 2018