New Jersey 2006 Senate Debate: on Abortion


Robert Menendez: Judicial nominees must uphold Roe v. Wade

Q: Do you believe that Roe v. Wade should be a litmus test for Supreme Court judges?

KEAN: Unlike Bob Menendez, I support judicial nominees based on merit and ability, not based on litmus tests or whether they support my political views.

MENENDEZ: I strongly support a woman’s right to choose. Unlike my opponent, I believe we must have Supreme Court justices who will uphold Roe v. Wade.

Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate (X-ref Kean) Sep 24, 2006

Robert Menendez: Kean voted against stem-cell research six times; I didn’t

Q: Do you believe that Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research should be banned?

KEAN: I fully support stem cell research, voted in favor of it and opposed President Bush’s veto. Sadly, Bob Menendez distorts my record on this issue.

MENENDEZ: I stood up to Bush and voted to expand funding for stem-cell research. Rubberstamp Republican Tom Kean Jr. voted against funding stem-cell research six times.

Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate (X-ref Kean) Sep 24, 2006

Thomas Kean Jr.: No litmus test for judicial nominees

Q: Do you believe that Roe v. Wade should be a litmus test for Supreme Court judges?

KEAN: Unlike Bob Menendez, I support judicial nominees based on merit and ability, not based on litmus tests or whether they support my political views.

MENENDEZ: I strongly support a woman’s right to choose. Unlike my opponent, I believe we must have Supreme Court justices who will uphold Roe v. Wade.

Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate Sep 24, 2006

Thomas Kean Jr.: Menendez distorts my pro-stem-cell stance

Q: Do you believe that Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research should be banned?

KEAN: I fully support stem cell research, voted in favor of it and opposed President Bush’s veto. Sadly, Bob Menendez distorts my record on this issue.

MENENDEZ: I stood up to Bush and voted to expand funding for stem-cell research. Rubberstamp Republican Tom Kean Jr. voted against funding stem-cell research six times.

Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate Sep 24, 2006

Robert Menendez: I support stem cell research 100%

Q: Your views on stem cell research?

MENENDEZ: I’m working to help researchers harness the potential of stem cell research to prevent and cure diseases like Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s. Breakthroughs wouldn’t only improve quality of life, but would also keep people out of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. In turn, this would reduce costs for Medicaid and other programs. I support stem cell research 100%. Tom Kean Jr. might say he supports it, but he’s voted against funding stem cell research 3 times in the last year alone.

KEAN: Bob Menendez misrepresents my position on stem cell research. In the state senate, I supported stem cell research and opposed pork-barrel brick and mortar projects that Bob’s cronies in Trenton attempted to pass under the guise of good science. I opposed Pres. Bush’s veto of the federal stem cell legislation and, in the Senate, will work to bring the hope and promise that stem cell research offers to millions of Americans who suffer from devastating diseases.

Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate Sep 2, 2006

Thomas Kean Jr.: Opposed Bush’s veto of federal stem cell legislation

Q: Your views on stem cell research?

MENENDEZ: I’m working to help researchers harness the potential of stem cell research to prevent and cure diseases like Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s. Breakthroughs wouldn’t only improve quality of life, but would also keep people out of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. In turn, this would reduce costs for Medicaid and other programs. I support stem cell research 100%. Tom Kean Jr. might say he supports it, but he’s voted against funding stem cell research 3 times in the last year alone.

KEAN: Bob Menendez misrepresents my position on stem cell research. In the state senate, I supported stem cell research and opposed pork-barrel brick and mortar projects that Bob’s cronies in Trenton attempted to pass under the guise of good science. I opposed Pres. Bush’s veto of the federal stem cell legislation and, in the Senate, will work to bring the hope and promise that stem cell research offers to millions of Americans who suffer from devastating diseases.

Source: Hall Institute N.J. Senate Virtual Debate [X-ref Menendez] Sep 2, 2006

  • The above quotations are from New Jersey Senate Virtual Debate - moderated by the Hall Institute, August to September 2006.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Thomas Kean Jr. on Abortion.
  • Click here for more quotes by Robert Menendez 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)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Feb 19, 2019