Washington 2006 Senate Debate: on Abortion


Bruce Guthrie: I’m pro-choice; medical freedom is an individual right

Q: What’s your position on abortion?

GUTHRIE: I believe you have the right to medical freedom. You get to choose the procedures that you undergo, not politicians. Your individual right translates into a woman’s right for reproductive freedom. I’m pro-choice. Most government programs are ineffective. I’d like to encourage education about birth control. I’d like to reduce the bureaucracy for adoption.

McGAVICK: I’m in the middle of the two extremes on this issue. I don’t believe that partial birth abortion should be used as a loophole. I do not believe that the taxpayers should be forced to pay for abortion. With underage pregnancies, parents have a right to be involved with that decision. Within these boundaries, I believe choice should exist.

CANTWELL: I support Roe v. Wade. It has been the law of the land for 30 years. More importantly, it has been voted on, by initiative, ad adopted by the people of this state.

Source: Washington Senate Debate hosted by KING-5 Oct 17, 2006

Maria Cantwell: Roe v. Wade is US law and WA law, so uphold it

Q: What’s your position on abortion?

GUTHRIE: You have the right to medical freedom. You get to choose the procedures that you undergo, not politicians. Your individual right translates into a woman’s right for reproductive freedom. I’m pro-choice.

McGAVICK: Partial birth abortion should not be used as a loophole; and taxpayers should be forced to pay for abortion. With underage pregnancies, parents have a right to be involved with that decision. Within these boundaries, I believe choice should exist.

CANTWELL: I support Roe v. Wade. It has been the law of the land for 30 years. More importantly, it has been voted on, by initiative, ad adopted by the people of this state. That’s why I work to uphold that women have full access to reproductive healthcare choices that is both the national law and the law of this state. I think it’s important to support, with federal dollars, those programs that give full access, and don’t discriminate against women who can’t afford that access.

Source: Washington Senate Debate hosted by KING-5 Oct 17, 2006

Mike McGavick: No partial-birth; no taxpayer funding; yes parental consent

Q: What’s your position on abortion?

GUTHRIE: I believe you have the right to medical freedom. You get to choose the procedures that you undergo, not politicians. Your individual right translates into a woman’s right for reproductive freedom. I’m pro-choice.

McGAVICK: I’m in the middle of the two extremes on this issue. I don’t believe that partial birth abortion should be used as a loophole to allow abortion at any time. I do not believe that the taxpayers should be forced to pay for abortion. With underage pregnancies, parents have a right to be involved with that decision. Within these boundaries, I believe choice should exist. My opponent is of a more extreme view, that women and children and taxpayers should all be involved.

CANTWELL: I support Roe v. Wade. It has been the law of the land for 30 years. More importantly, it has been voted on, by initiative, ad adopted by the people of this state.

Source: Washington Senate Debate hosted by KING-5 Oct 17, 2006

  • The above quotations are from Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) faces challengers Mike McGavick (R) & Bruce Guthrie (L) in this debate moderated by Dennis Bounds, KING 5, Oct. 17, 2006. Debate sponsored by the Seattle Times, Northwest News Network, KREM TV, Seattle City Club..
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Maria Cantwell on Abortion.
  • Click here for more quotes by Mike McGavick 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: Feb 26, 2019