BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FLORENCE -- Northern Kentucky's largest and most politically active anti-abortion group plans to work hard against U.S. Rep. Scotty Baesler's Senate campaign.
"Scotty Baesler has been a disaster," said Northern Kentucky Right to Life President Robert C. Cetrulo, a Covington attorney. "We're going to oppose him and he is going to lose," Mr. Cetrulo said.
Mr. Baesler, a Lexington Democrat, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Bunning of Southgate in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race this fall. Mr. Bunning is endorsed by the anti-abortion group. Abortion is considered one of the key issues in Northern Kentucky politics, and an endorsement from Northern Kentucky Right to Life has huge implications in some races.
Asked if the group's snub will hurt him, Mr. Baesler replied, "No, not any more than it was already going to."
Mr. Baesler said he has backed bills and proposals anti-abortion groups have opposed, including legislation supporting Planned Parenthood and earmarking funding for family planning and contraception in Third World countries.
But Mr. Baesler said he also voted for a ban on late-term abortions, known as partial-birth abortions, and against using federal money to pay for abortions for people on public assistance.
"I think my votes on abortion are very much in the mainstream," he said during an interview in Boone County Tuesday.
Mr. Cetrulo admitted Mr. Baesler "voted right" on the late-term abortion ban.
"But he still has a pro-abortion record, and that gives the electorate a very clear choice," Mr. Cetrulo said. "And that choice should be Jim Bunning."
Mr. Cetrulo pointed to a vote last week on a U.S. House amendment to prevent the Food and Drug Administration from testing, developing or approving drugs that chemically induce abortions, such as the RU-486 "morning-after" abortion pill.
Mr. Baesler was the only member of the Kentucky delegation to vote against the amendment.
But he pointed out that amendment was actually tacked on to a bill funding the Department of Agriculture.
"We need to deal with the issues at hand," he said, "but it seems like we end up voting on abortion every week up in Washington."
Mr. Baesler has also been targeted by the National Right to Lifein some of his past campaigns, including his successful race in the May 26 U.S. Senate Democratic primary.
Mr. Baesler sponsored a bill that would have limited what Right to Life and other groups could say about political candidates in ads.
"That's not an issue about abortion. It's an issue about campaign finance, which these groups do not want," Mr. Baesler said.
"I'm not expecting to carry the three counties" in Northern Kentucky, Mr. Baesler said. "But what I am expecting to do is beat Jim Bunning more in my (6th Congressional District) than he beats me in his (4th Congressional District). And that's going to be important."
