This article originally appeared on the New York Times Caucus blog on December 23, 2010.
Candidates for Chairman of Republican Party Talk About Abortion and Marriage
By: Michael D. Shear
File this away in the not-very surprising category: The candidates for chairman of the Republican Party are against abortion.
Still, it’s interesting to listen to a handful of the leading contenders expressing their views on abortion in a series of interviews posted online Thursday.
Four of the candidates responded to questions from officials at the Susan B. Anthony List, a conservative group that will host a debate for all those seeking the Republican National Committee job early next year.
The four are Saul Anuzis, chairman of the Republican Party of Michigan; Gentry Collins, former political director for the committee; Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin; and Ann Wagner, a former ambassador to Luxembourg.
All four were unequivocal in their opposition to abortion. Mr. Anuzis said that as a Catholic, he believed that life “begins at conception and ends at natural death.” Mr. Collins said: “I am pro-life.My wife and I are devoutly Catholic.” Mr. Priebus said, “I am a 100 percent, Psalm 139 pro-life Republican.” Ms. Wagner said being pro-life was “part of the fabric of who I am,” adding, “It’s how I was raised.”
The four hopefuls spoke via Skype, and their answers, along with a discussion by each of the issue of marriage, can be seen in full here.
