Udall’s focus on abortion backfires at Colorado Senate debate

DENVER — The Democratic Party’s relentless “war on women” line of attack cut both ways at Tuesday’s Colorado Senate debate.

Having repeatedly described pro-life Republican Rep. Cory Gardner as “out of the mainstream,” Democratic Sen. Mark Udall wound up indicating that he doesn’t support any additional limits on abortion, including restrictions on late-term abortion.

Moderator Chuck Plunkett of the Denver Post asked Mr. Udall whether, “given the advances in scientific understanding of fetal development,” he would support a ban on late-term abortions.

At first Mr. Udall balked, saying, “This question is in effect a diversion from the real differences between us in this campaign,” but then went on to insist that such decisions should be made by women without interference from the courts or lawmakers.

“Where we stand and where Colorado voters stand is trusting a women to make the decisions that are best for her and her family,” Mr. Udall said. “Frankly, politicians and judges and businessmen and women ought to butt out and trust the women of Colorado.”

Polls show most voters, including women, favor a ban on abortions at 20 weeks gestation, the point at which some researchers have said the fetus can feel pain. An August 2013 Quinnipiac University survey found that 60 percent of women and 50 percent of men favored banning abortions after 20 weeks instead of 24 weeks.

Mr. Udall, 64, added that, “There are situations in which late-term abortions are found to be necessary,” citing the example of a couple facing a decision about whether to bear a child with a devastating birth defect.

“They found tragically in the eighth month that that child’s brain was growing outside of the skull of that fetus,” Mr. Udall said. “To demand that that woman carry that child to term would be a form of government intervention that none of us want to see happen.”

Recent proposals to restrict late-term abortions include exceptions for the life or health of the mother, as well as victims of rape and incest, and the 2013 Texas law banning abortions after 20 weeks includes an exception in the case of severe birth defects.

There was no shortage of discussion on abortion and birth control at Tuesday’s debate, sponsored by the Denver Post. At one point Mr. Udall said his opponent had “built his political career on working to ban abortion and common forms of contraception.”

Mr. Gardner, 40, countered that he no longer supports a personhood amendment and that women should be able to purchase birth control pills over the counter without a prescription.

“It’s simply outrageous to believe that somebody would try to ban birth control,” Mr. Gardner said. “In fact, the first time my wife and I saw a television ad by Sen. Udall that said we wanted to ban birth control, my wife looked at me, smiled and said, ’Didn’t you used to pick up my prescription?’”

The Democrats’ “war on women” theme has become so ubiquitous in the campaign that Mr. Udall was asked early on in the debate if he’d overplayed his hand.

“Mr. Udall, your campaign has been so focused on women’s issues that you’ve been dubbed ’Mark Uterus,’” said Denver Post reporter Lynn Bartels, adding, “Have you gone too far?”

Mr. Udall responded that, “Reproductive rights are important to millions of Coloradans. Colorado is the second state to grant the franchise to women.”

The debate was the third of the campaign and second this week. A fourth debate, sponsored by the Pueblo Chieftain, is scheduled for Thursday in the Senate race, which most polls show remains locked in a statistical tie.