Madison, Wisc.
A major theme of the Wisconsin Democrats' campaign against Scott Walker will involve an effort to portray him as a belligerent in a so-called "war on women." But the leading Democratic candidates seem to be staking out positions in the Democratic primary that will make them much more out of step with Wisconsin voters on the issue of abortion in a general election.
As a congressman from Milwaukee in 1993, Tom Barrett broke ranks with the other eight other members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation (three Democrats and five Republicans) when he voted against the Hyde amendment, a measure that prohibited federal funding of elective abortions for Medicaid recipients.
On Wednesday night, Barrett, who is now the frontrunner in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, reaffirmed his support for taxpayer-funding of elective abortions under Medicaid.
"In Congress you voted against the Hyde amendment on Medicaid abortion funding. Do you still oppose the Hyde amendment?" Barrett was asked by THE WEEKLY STANDARD following a candidates forum in Madison.
"Yes, I do," Barrett replied.
Barrett's past support of taxpayer-funded elective abortions under Medicaid is something he might like to run away from in a general election. But he's now facing a strong challenge in the May 8 Democratic primary from Dane county executive Kathleen Falk, who has the backing of major unions and liberal groups like EMILY's List.
Falk assailed Walker in an April 6 statement for signing a bill to "prevent insurance companies participating in the state’s 'health care exchanges' under the federal health care reform act from offering coverage for abortion." When asked Wednesday night if she supports abortion coverage under Medicaid too, Falk dodged the question, saying, "I support women's reproductive health choices. And Governor Walker and the Republicans have gone way too far in preventing private insurance companies from covering reproductive health choices."
A national Quinnipiac poll taken during the Obamacare debate found that 72 of Americans oppose public funding of abortion.