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By D IEL MYERS
CtlpilllJ News Service
lANSING - The controversy
over abortion, while important,
won't affect all political races
equally, according to Michigan
Republican Party Chairman
Spencer Abraham.
"I don't see every race being ,
determined by it and I don't see
the imp ct being the same in
every race: Abraham said.
But others think the issue of
abortio . beginning to baunt
the Republicans.
"I think that w evident in
both Jersey and Virginia,·
said Steve Gools, communica­
tion director for the Michigan
Democratic Party.
Voter in Virginia d New
J er ey· voted for pro-choice
Democratic candidates for
governor over pro-life
Republicans.
Abr h m said the
Republican candidate in Vir­
ginia defeated because he
allowed his position to be
defined by his opponent.
"You hould take your posi­
tion and stic to your po ition,
and not try to please �rybody
and think you can gel away with
i : Abraham said.
Goo said the abortion issue
more of a D tional problem
to the Republicans.
"ICs pretty clear Lee Atwater
d Georg Bush are prob bly
regretting the iron-cl d position
they too against abortion," he
said.
But Gools poin ed out that
positions on abortion did not.
,p.lay
divide along party lines.
"It's a mistake to assume that
all Democrats are pro-choice
and all Republicans are anti­
abortion," Gools said.
argy Long, public affairs
coordinator for Planned Paren­
thood Affiliates of Michigan,
said both Republican and
Democratic candidates who
were- ag inst abortion rights
ould have to reassess their
position.
Long said national
Republican polling firms have
told Republican candidates
they should moderate their anti­
abortion stances or they could
lose elections.
In Michigan, abortion could
become an issue in the 1990
gubern torial race.
Democratic Gov. James
Blanchard is pro-choice, while
his m likely oppo nt, state
Sen. John Engler, R-Mt.
Pleasant, is pro-life.
"Pro-choice candidates have
always been ble to puJl people
from the other p rty: Long
said, saying many Democrats
voted for former Gov. William
Milliken over challenger Wil­
liam Fitzgerald in 1978 because
of Milliken Us pro-c oicestand.
Long said recent comments
Engler made to an Oakland
County Republican women's
group showh ybemoderat­
ing his position on abortion.
Long said Engler's pro-life
stance co Id hurt him in 1990.
"I thank he must be very
aware of that and feeling the
heat," she said.
John Truscott, director o�
Racial attitudes nearly
prevented Wilder victory'
RICHMOND, VA - While his
Democratic running mates
ere winning by impre ive
margins, L. Doug} Wilder
aarro ly defeated hi
Repob . can rival last IDOnth to
become the fir Blae gOYCrnor
in Vir .. . cry.
F'mal r released
revealed that WaIdcr's
victory a r of a .
turnout by B c voters ho
ed 94% of their ballots for
Wilder d impressive support
among urban whites in the Nor­
fo ea and the orthern Vir­
ginia uburbs near Washington,
D.C. Wilder did his rse in
rural d small town ar .
. The re ult ugge t that'
deS1Di'te pre-e1ectioD polls
ing Wilder f r he d of
Rep . Marshall C man,
a majority of Virginia Whites
could bring themse to
vote for a Black man for gover-
.ID f: d, it appears S1 �
of . casted the· for
Coleman. The Wilder victory
so Rep' hPe
demanded a recount.
The white reluctance to vote
for Black for governor was
summarized by an elderly man
in Alexandria, Virginia when he
tokl reporter,"! don't want a
Black governor. Colored
peop e lie too much. They al-
ys hayc their hands out."
Eddie urphy,
III ot
comm nton
"Daddv" rumor
LOS AN�ELEs, CALF. -
Comedian and movie star
Eddie Murphy is refusing to
coo"ne on reports that he i a
father. The reports urf ced
recently en long-time girl
fdend Nicole Mitchell gave
birth to a baby girl in a
S crameDto hospital
MitcheD lives in a $600,000
home 0 d by Murphy but
neither person has commented
OIl whether Qr noiMurphy is the
of the child.
abor
media relations for the Engler
for Governor Exploratory
Committee, said Engler's com­
ments . did not represent a
change in his thinking.
"John has always been pro­
life," Truscott said. "However,
[as governor] he would sign
tightly drawn legislation to
allow abortio in cases of rape
and incest, or if the mother" s
life were in danger"
on
•
irnpac
Truscott said Engler was
against tax funding for abor­
tions in those cases.
H� said Engler's po ition
was not widely known before his
recent comments because the
issue had never come up for a
vote before the state Senate.
Abraham said both can­
didates in th Virginia r ee suf­
fered because people thought
they were hedging their position .
on abortion.
He said that do n't w r ,
!>ecause people und r land the
ISSue.
"Everybody has an opinion
on abortion. They understand
the issue. So when they see a
candidate dodging and ducking
they tend to find the candidate's
�edi ility lacking.
I
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Bush expec ed to aid Engler
By S lIey DeLuca
CllpitaJ News Service
LAN ING + • In an era of
political campaign. weapons,
. GOP gubernatorial candidate
John Engler might have his
finger on the trigger of the big­
gestgun.
The state Senate Republican
leader said President George
Bush h committed to cam­
paign in Michigan for him.
Engler, who ran Bush's
Michigan presidential cam- .
paign in 1988,· said he believe
Bu h' involvement with his
campaign will be limited to one
. visit to Michigan, hopefully two.
"He's in hot demand all over
the country - everybody wants
the president and he does have
to run the country, not just help
hi friends," Engler said. "I
would hope 'd have him t
least twice, but we'll consider
ourselves very fortunate if that's
the case"
Nationally, the part sees
Michigan as a priority - not
only for potential Republican
control of the governor' eat
after next November, but in
keeping control of the state
. Senate, he . d.
ere' lot of interest in
Michigan because it's felt na­
tionally that (Gov.) Jim
Blanchard is weak and that we
can beat him, and that I've done
an effective job this campaign
has tarted in uniting the
A nd AbOrtion
lJnber of abortions had t1f 10-19 year YS.
tal runber of abortions performed il Michigan
tor years 1984-1988
Republican party and prepar­
ing for a winning campaign,"
Engler aid.
"Plus, we'll have a Senate
se t that will be highly targeted,
and there's a .lot of interest in
making sure we keep the Legis-
lature.· �
But Tom Lewand, chair of
the Michigan Democratic
Party, said he" doe not feel
Bush's endorsement will heJp
Engler much, nor will it hurt
Blanchard in the election.
"I'm not sure how much
strength (Bush) has to persuade
voters in this state," Lewand
ide "Ronald Reagan backed
(Republican gubernatorial can­
didate) Bill Lucas three year
ago and that didn't help him
much. .
"Michigan voters are pretty
independent, and they will
make up their mind based on
the two candidates, not on some
endorsement. "
Engler said he does not ex­
pect Bush' presence in
Michigan to rocket him into the
governor hip, but he does
believe it will help him, as well
as help the Republicans run­
ning for Congress nd the
Legislature. .
"That doesn't mean ... that the
president comes here, and you
- know he's got very high
popularity, and immediately I
win the election because of
that," be . d. ·1 think we'll win
abortioras had by
1()'19 Y :acts
IZJ t abortions
because we're right on major is­
sues facing this state."
Having the president as
dr w for his gubernatorial cam­
paign also will be a bonus be­
cause it will illustrate the
potential for an excellent wor -
ing relationship with
Washington, D.C., Engler said.
"I think there's 10. of feeling
in Michigan thai we ought to
have a better rei tio hip with
Washington than we currently
have: he said. "The governor
goes there a lot, but it doesn't
appear that much gets done,
and as a result, I think there's an
opportunity for to talk about
building a partner hip with
Washington." •
