Q&A Friday #10: Would You Support A Pro-Choice Nominee In 2008?

28 Jan, 2005 by John Hawkins

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Question: “Would you consider supporting a pro-choice candidate in 2008, if that’s who the GOP ends up nominating?” — Schroman2002

Answer: While I will not back a pro-choice candidate in the primaries, I’m not going to take my ball and go home if a candidate who is not pro-life wins the nomination. I’m a practical person and except in rare circumstances, I’m going to support the most conservative candidate I think can win, even if I have big disagreements with them on certain issues.

However, let me add that I believe if we run a pro-choice GOP candidate in 2008, we will probably lose. I say that because this is a high priority issue for the base and there will be a lot of Republicans who will be bitterly disappointed with any nominee who is not pro-life.

Some people may think that’s not a big deal. The thinking goes, “Come on, what are they going to do? Vote for Hillary?”

True, unhappy conservatives aren’t going to pull the lever for the Democratic candidate. But, there’s so much more to it than that. Are these unhappy conservatives going to…

…give money to the candidate?
…work on his campaign?
…participate in get out the vote efforts?
…talk up the candidate to their friends (and readers/listeners if they’re bloggers, columnists, or radio hosts)?
…bother to show up to vote on Nov. 2nd?

To go against the base on an issue as near and dear to their hearts as abortion would be a huge mistake and if the party runs a candidate for President who is not pro-life in 2008, it will regret it. The Democrats will unite behind Hillary. To beat her, the GOP needs to be united as well and that won’t happen if a pro-abortion candidate is the nominee…