2014 Governor AdWatch: on Abortion

Larry Hogan: 1980s: ban abortions; 1992: don't overturn pro-choice laws

The Democrats' attack ads are based on Hogan comments from 1980 and 1981 in which he supported a ban on abortions except to save the life of the mother, as well as a "human life amendment" that would have barred abortions while possibly outlawing some forms of birth control. By 1992, Hogan had modified those positions and said abortion should remain legal.

Today Hogan says that he is still personally opposed to abortion, but he pledges he will not try to change Maryland's laws protecting women's rights to the procedure nor to limit access to contraception.

Brown's campaign manager contended , "Hogan just can't be trusted on women's health issues."

Larry Hogan: Personally opposed but no effect since it's legally settled

Hogan said he personally opposes abortion, but since the matter has been legally settled in Maryland, he will not, as governor, try to roll back the law. "Anthony Brown is running an ad that says that I oppose a women's right to choose, even in the case of rape and incest. That is an absolute lie. It's not my position now, and it's never been my position my entire life. Here are the facts. The facts are nothing will change on abortion with me as governor," Hogan said. "For him to try to scare women by misrepresenting and blatantly lying about me and my position is disgraceful."

Charlie Crist: 2006: I'm pro-life; 2014: That was for Republicans

Not exactly your standard Democratic primary platform. But the voice in the robocall really is Crist's and so were the positions he stressed. But it was Charlie Crist circa 2006--not 2014. Back then he was running in the Republican primary for governor and paid for the calls to shore up his conservative support and push back against rival Tom Gallagher's assertion that Crist was a moderate. They certainly were never intended for Democratic voters.

A spokesman for the Crist campaign called it a "shady voter suppression tactic."

Andrew Cuomo: Codify state with federal law to allow 9th-month abortions

Cuomo made the issue a crescendo in his 2013 State of the State speech--"Because it's her body! It's her choice!" But Senate Republicans, as expected, ultimately blocked the measure.

State records show few New Yorkers seek abortions as late as the ninth month of pregnancy. Of 97,502 abortions in New York in 2012, just 2.6 percent came after the fifth month of pregnancy, according to the state Health Department.

Astorino last week called Cuomo's proposal to protect ninth-month abortions "sick, I think that's ghastly. I would veto that in a second." But he said he wouldn't try to erode current abortion laws. "I'm pro-life. This is a pro-choice state. I get that," Astorino said.

Rob Astorino: No 9th-month abortions, even if federal law allows it

State records show few New Yorkers seek abortions as late as the ninth month of pregnancy. Of 97,502 abortions in New York in 2012, just 2.6 percent came after the fifth month of pregnancy, according to the state Health Department.

Astorino last week called Cuomo's proposal to protect ninth-month abortions "sick, I think that's ghastly. . . . I would veto that in a second." But he said he wouldn't try to erode current abortion laws. "I'm pro-life. This is a pro-choice state. I get that," Astorino said in a March news conference in Buffalo. "What I will not do is expand abortion up to birth, which is what Governor Cuomo's bill would do."