State of Delaware Archives: on Abortion
Alex Pires:
An audience member asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood.
Pires said he would vote to fund Planned Parenthood. He noted the irony of men constantly trying to legislate women's health issues.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Chris Coons:
Pro-choice, but no federal subsidies
Q: Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? A: Pro-choice.
Q: Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
A: No.
Q: Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
A: Yes.
Q: Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
A: Yes.
Q: Should federal subsidies be prohibited from being used for abortion procedures?
A: No.
Source: Delaware Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test
Sep 25, 2010
Chris Coons:
Support embryonic stem cell research
Q: Do you support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research? A: Yes.
Source: Delaware Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test
Sep 25, 2010
Chris Coons:
Make abortion safe, legal and rare
The two candidates did split on social issues: They were asked about stem-cell research and abortion, specifically in cases of rape or incest. Coons reaffirmed his support for abortion rights, saying it should be "safe, legal and rare."
Source: The Hill coverage of 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Sep 16, 2010
Chris Coons:
I respect stare decisis, and a woman's right to choose
O'DONNELL: My faith has matured over the years but regardless of my personal faith, when I go down to Washington, D.C., it is the constitution that I will defend and it is by the constitution that I will make all of my decisions.COONS:
I'm interested in hearing whether it's the Constitution as passed by the founders, the Constitution of 1920, the Constitution of 1975, the Constitution of today. Because to me, protecting a woman's right to choose, protecting reproductive freedom,
and making sure that we've got on the record O'Donnell's views on things like prayer, abortion, evolution, is important. These aren't just random statements on some late-night TV show. These are relevant to her service in the United States
Senate, what sort of judges she would confirm, what sort of issues she would take up. I'm someone who stands firmly behind the constitution as it stands today. I respect stare decisis, the decided cases, the case law that governs the United States
Source: CNN's Wolf Blitzer moderating 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 13, 2010
Chris Coons:
Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research
Q: What are your views on the federal allocation of funds used for stem cell research?COONS: I would support stem cell research.
Q: We're talking about embryonic stem cell research.
COONS: Correct. I would support federal funding for medical
research that includes embryonic stem cell research. I think there are critical advances that are being made and can be made in addressing some of the most difficult diseases that affect millions of Americans, and I frankly think if it is possible to do
so, we ought to be investing and making progress in this critical area of research.
O'DONNELL: I think if we took an intellectually honest look at the research that's been put out there, you will see that there is incredible advances with adult
stem cell research, not as much with embryonic stem cell research, because that is where this went on in the private sector. That is where investors would be putting their money.
Source: CNN's Wolf Blitzer moderating 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 13, 2010
Christine O`Donnell:
Converted to pro-life position
Coons reaffirmed his support for abortion rights, saying it should be "safe, legal and rare." O'Donnell recalled her personal history and her own conversion to a pro-life position. O'Donnell did say she would support abortion in cases "where the life
of the mother" was at risk. She recalled that her own family faced that situation with her sister in the past, though she didn't elaborate. O'Donnell called instances where the life of the mother is at risk "a personal family decision."
Source: The Hill coverage of 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Sep 16, 2010
Christine O`Donnell:
Adult stem cell research over embryonic stem cell research
Q: What are your views on the federal allocation of funds used for stem cell research?COONS: I would support stem cell research.
Q: We're talking about embryonic stem cell research.
COONS: Correct. I would support federal funding for medical
research that includes embryonic stem cell research.
O'DONNELL: I think if we took an intellectually honest look at the research that's been put out there, you will see that there is incredible advances with adult stem cell research, not as much with
embryonic stem cell research, because that is where this went on in the private sector. That is where investors would be putting their money.
I would point to a program called the Snowflake Babies, where they have had incredible success adopting these human embryos that are going to be discarded for medical waste.
Source: CNN's Wolf Blitzer moderating 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 13, 2010
Gene Truono:
Pro-life; supports a ban on abortions after 20 weeks
Before a packed house at the South Coastal Library, candidates Chuck Boyce and Gene Truono addressed 10 questions on a range of subjects. Truono also called himself "pro-life" and said he supports a proposed federal ban on abortions after
20 weeks' gestation. He said he also supports religious freedom and First Amendment issues currently being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Source: Coastal Point on 2018 Delaware Senate debate
Mar 2, 2018
Jan Ting:
Supports parental notification, opposes late-term abortions
Ting is guarded about his stance on abortion. Asked repeatedly if he supports a woman's right to choose abortion, Ting would not say yes or no. He said he supports parental notification for minors, opposes late-term abortions and that the issue belongs
before the U.S. Supreme Court. While he personally opposes abortion, Ting said, he has been on both sides of the "complicated'' legal issue. Pressed for more clarity, he said: "Jan Ting has given you his views. I'm not willing to put a label on myself.''
Source: Cris Barrish, The Delaware News Journal, "Republican issues"
Sep 3, 2006
Jessica Scarane:
Protect and expand abortion rights
CORE POLICIES:- Protect and expand abortion rights and reproductive health care, including repealing the Hyde Amendment
- Medicare for All including comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and mental health care
-
Decommodify medical research and destroy patent monopolies
- Combat the opioid crisis by holding manufacturers liable
- End medical bias and eradicate health disparities for people of color, LGBTQ+, indigenous, and rural communities
Source: 2020 Senate campaign website JessForDelaware.com
Dec 13, 2019
Jessica Scarane:
Protect and expand abortion rights
Core policies:
Protect and expand abortion rights and reproductive health care, including repealing the Hyde Amendment
Source: 2020 Senate campaign website JessForDelaware.com
Dec 13, 2019
Kevin Wade:
Not proud that Delaware has highest abortion rate
One audience member asked the candidates if they thought human rights or religious rights were more important. Wade said no right should supersede any other right.
He said he was not proud Delaware has the highest per capita abortion rate in the nation. "I believe in life," he said.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
Kevin Wade:
Funding to Planned Parenthood ok if not used for abortions
An audience member asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood. Wade said he would support some funding to Planned
Parenthood, but not if it would be used for abortions. "Planned Parenthood is not a central theme in healthcare for this country," he said. Wade said he would rather provide healthcare funding for children and the elderly.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
Lauren Witzke:
Life begins at conception; constitutional change necessary
Witzke is un-apologetically pro-life. She believes that life begins at conception,. no matter what the circumstance. She will pursue a constitutional amendment to protect the unborn. Once our nation stops killing 1 million unborn babies a year, we'll
no longer need to bring in 1 million legal immigrants a year. Witzke will fund faith-based Crisis Pregnancy centers and adoption programs. End the stigma associated with adoption. Abortion should be stigmatized, not adoption.
Source: 2020 Delaware Senate campaign website LaurenWitzke.com
Oct 10, 2020
Lauren Witzke:
Abortion is extermination of minorities
Facebook comments she posted hours after the death last month of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She said the justice's "obsession
with abortion overtly singled out blacks and minorities for extermination," accompanying the post with a photograph of dancing Black children.
Source: New York Times on 2020 Delaware Senate race
Oct 2, 2020
Lisa Blunt Rochester:
Fight against defunding Planned Parenthood
Women's Health: "As a young woman I relied on Planned Parenthood for my health needs. I know I am not alone. We cannot afford to let politicians in Washington try and drag us back to the last century." --Lisa Blunt RochesterWomen's health care is
under a relentless attack across the country. Republicans in Washington have voted over and over again to defund Planned Parenthood's work providing cancer screening and health services to women in need.
They have voted against a woman's right to choose and even refused to protect the medical records of victims of rape and incest from government invasion. In Congress, Lisa will be a champion for women's health by:
- Standing up to the Republicans
in Congress trying to defund Planned Parenthood
- Working to make it easier for low-income women to get cancer screenings and mammograms
- Fighting against regressive legislation that tries to put the government between a woman and her doctor
Source: 2016 Delaware House campaign website LisaBluntRochester.com
Nov 8, 2016
Rob Arlett:
Protect life from natural conception to natural death
As a husband and father, Rob knows the importance of family. Rob believes that families are the basic economic unit that leads to economic prosperity.
As a Senator in Washington, Rob will protect human life from natural conception to natural death.
Source: 2018 Delaware Senate Campaign website RobArlett.com
Sep 1, 2018
Tom Carper:
Fund Planned Parenthood; contraception reduces abortion
One audience member asked if they thought human rights or religious rights were more important. Another asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood.Carper said most religions instruct followers to treat others the way they would
like to be treated. "I think we have a moral obligation to show our faith by our deeds," he said. Carper said he would fund Planned Parenthood because 98 percent of women use contraception, and contraception will reduce the need for abortions.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023