Republican congressional nominee Raul Labrador has received another endorsement from a pro-life group. Labrador was first endorsed by Idaho Chooses Life, a pro-life group based in Boise, during his primary fight with Vaughn Ward, and now Labrador has received the nod from the National Right to Life Political Action Committee (NRL PAC).
The committee praised Labrador for his work in the Idaho Legislature. "In the state legislature, you are a strong advocate for life. You have supported and co-sponsored pro-life legislation, and voted for its passage. You oppose the use of federal funding for elective abortion," said the NRL PAC in a letter to candidate Labrador. "This endorsement reflects your commitment to renewing a culture of life, not only in Idaho, but throughout the nation."
The group took issue with one of his opponent's votes in Congress. Congressman Walt Minnick, the freshman Democrat currently representing Idaho's 1st Congressional District, voted against a portion of federal health care reforms which sought to limit the availability of federally funded abortions. "During consideration of sweeping health care restructuring legislation backed by President Obama, your opponent, Congressman Walt Minnick, voted against the pro-life Stupak-Pitts Amendment, a pro-life amendment to remove provisions of the bill that expanded coverage of abortion and authorized government funding of elective abortions," said the NRL PAC in its letter.
The Stupak Amendment, which became a focal point of health care reform debate in the weeks before reforms were approved by Congress, prohibited the federal government from paying for any abortions that weren't deemed medically necessary to save the life of the mother giving birth. The amendment was eventually dropped when Obama agreed to sign an executive order banning federal funding for elective abortions in exchange for the votes of Stupak's anti-abortion coalition of representatives, votes key to the passage of reforms.
Sources inside the Labrador campaign, which is currently without a formal spokesperson, said that they are delighted to have received the endorsement. The Minnick campaign has declined to comment.
Read the full letter from National Right to Life PAC to Labrador here.
