A look at Arizona and Bob Lord AZ-03

Elizabeth Shipp is political director for NARAL Pro-Choice America.

There are so many great pro-choice candidates and so little time left before Election Day! With late-breaking races emerging at lightning speed, I asked Molly to give me a shot at one that's worth watching in the last six days.

Polls are indicating that the race for president is tightening up...in Arizona. John McCain's home state. Polls are showing what had been a seven point lead now anywhere from two to four points. While I don't think anyone believes that McCain will lose his home state (but how awesome would it be for him to only win by a couple of points?), this does bode well for some of the down-ballot races -- especially congressional races. In 2006, NARAL Pro-Choice America worked hard to help elect Reps. Harry Mitchell (AZ-05) and Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-08), adding two pro-choice pick-ups to the total of 23 pro-choice pick-ups in the U.S. House that year.

This year, we have a chance to do it again. Pro-choice candidate Bob Lord is running against virulently anti-choice Rep. John Shadegg in AZ-03. You may remember that Shadegg was the guy who said he wasn't going to run, dropped out of the race, and then magnanimously returned to the race when his fellow anti-choicers in Congress begged him to return. (Notice, it was members of Congress that begged...not his constituents.) Just like AZ-05 and AZ-08, Arizona's Third Congressional District leans Republican. And just like these two districts, AZ-03 has moderate pro-choice Independent and Republican women voters who could be the key to victory for Bob Lord.

In fact, polling conducted in the district earlier this month shows Lord with the lead. An Anzalone Liszt poll of 400 likely voters conducted October 6 - 8, 2008 showed Lord leading Shadegg 45% to 44%. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 4.9%.

So, why should AZ-03 voters support Lord and oust Shadegg? From a pro-choice point of view, the differences between the candidates couldn't be more clear. Shadegg routinely receives a "0" from NARAL Pro-Choice America when it comes to voting on a wide-range of reproductive rights issues in Congress.

We all know that there are some Members of Congress who are anti-choice and vote against any pro-choice legislation. THEN, there are the guys like John Shadegg who not only vote anti-choice, but sponsor some of the most anti-choice pieces of legislation seen of the floor of the House of Representatives. Let's take a look at some of the legislation Shadegg has co-sponsored over the years:

• Twice co-sponsored legislation to override the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone (RU 486), a safe and effective early abortion medication. [H.R.3453, 108th Cong. (2003); H.R.1079, 109th Cong. (2005)]
• Twice co-sponsored legislation crafted establishing "personhood" at the moment of fertilization. [H.R.552, 109th Cong. (2005); H.R.618, 110th Cong. (2007)]
• Co-sponsored legislation forcing women to undergo a medically unnecessary ultrasound procedure before receiving abortion care. [H.R.5032, 110th Cong. (2008)]

Now, we all know it doesn't end there. Not only does Shadegg co-sponsor these extreme, out-of-the-mainstream pieces of legislation, he REFUSES TO SUPPORT ANY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HELP PREVENT UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AND THEREBY REDUCE THE NEED FOR ABORTION.

Here are just a few stellar examples:

• Voted to de-fund Title X, the nation's only federal program dedicated exclusively to family planning and reproductive-health services. [House vote #614 (8/2/95)]
• Voted five times to deny federal employees the right to choose a health plan that covers abortion care. [House vote #526 (7/19/95); House vote #320 (7/17/96); House vote #288 (7/16/98); House vote #301 (7/15/99); House vote #422 (7/20/00)]
• Voted against contraceptive equity for federal employees - a provision of law that ensures health plans cover birth control equally with other prescription medications. [House vote #493 (10/7/98)]
• Voted twice to eliminate funding completely for all international family-planning programs. [House vote #358 (9/4/97); House vote #360 (8/3/99)]

Okay, so by now you know the drill: Tell your friends and family about Bob Lord, the pro-choice candidate running against one of the most anti-choice politicians in Congress. Visit Bob Lord's website and watch his latest ad -- Republicans supporting Bob Lord! Get involved, get active and get out the vote for Bob Lord.