2010 DE Senate Debates: on Abortion


Chris Coons: I respect stare decisis, and a woman's right to choose

O'DONNELL: My faith has matured over the years but regardless of my personal faith, when I go down to Washington, D.C., it is the constitution that I will defend and it is by the constitution that I will make all of my decisions.

COONS: I'm interested in hearing whether it's the Constitution as passed by the founders, the Constitution of 1920, the Constitution of 1975, the Constitution of today. Because to me, protecting a woman's right to choose, protecting reproductive freedom, and making sure that we've got on the record O'Donnell's views on things like prayer, abortion, evolution, is important. These aren't just random statements on some late-night TV show. These are relevant to her service in the United States Senate, what sort of judges she would confirm, what sort of issues she would take up. I'm someone who stands firmly behind the constitution as it stands today. I respect stare decisis, the decided cases, the case law that governs the United States

Source: CNN's Wolf Blitzer moderating 2010 Delaware Senate debate Oct 13, 2010

Chris Coons: Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

Q: What are your views on the federal allocation of funds used for stem cell research?

COONS: I would support stem cell research.

Q: We're talking about embryonic stem cell research.

COONS: Correct. I would support federal funding for medical research that includes embryonic stem cell research. I think there are critical advances that are being made and can be made in addressing some of the most difficult diseases that affect millions of Americans, and I frankly think if it is possible to do so, we ought to be investing and making progress in this critical area of research.

O'DONNELL: I think if we took an intellectually honest look at the research that's been put out there, you will see that there is incredible advances with adult stem cell research, not as much with embryonic stem cell research, because that is where this went on in the private sector. That is where investors would be putting their money.

Source: CNN's Wolf Blitzer moderating 2010 Delaware Senate debate Oct 13, 2010

Christine O`Donnell: Adult stem cell research over embryonic stem cell research

Q: What are your views on the federal allocation of funds used for stem cell research?

COONS: I would support stem cell research.

Q: We're talking about embryonic stem cell research.

COONS: Correct. I would support federal funding for medical research that includes embryonic stem cell research.

O'DONNELL: I think if we took an intellectually honest look at the research that's been put out there, you will see that there is incredible advances with adult stem cell research, not as much with embryonic stem cell research, because that is where this went on in the private sector. That is where investors would be putting their money. I would point to a program called the Snowflake Babies, where they have had incredible success adopting these human embryos that are going to be discarded for medical waste.

Source: CNN's Wolf Blitzer moderating 2010 Delaware Senate debate Oct 13, 2010

Chris Coons: Make abortion safe, legal and rare

The two candidates did split on social issues: They were asked about stem-cell research and abortion, specifically in cases of rape or incest. Coons reaffirmed his support for abortion rights, saying it should be "safe, legal and rare."
Source: The Hill coverage of 2010 Delaware Senate debate Sep 16, 2010

Christine O`Donnell: Converted to pro-life position

Coons reaffirmed his support for abortion rights, saying it should be "safe, legal and rare." O'Donnell recalled her personal history and her own conversion to a pro-life position.

O'Donnell did say she would support abortion in cases "where the life of the mother" was at risk. She recalled that her own family faced that situation with her sister in the past, though she didn't elaborate. O'Donnell called instances where the life of the mother is at risk "a personal family decision."

Source: The Hill coverage of 2010 Delaware Senate debate Sep 16, 2010

  • The above quotations are from 2010 Delaware Senate Debates.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Christine O`Donnell on Abortion.
  • Click here for more quotes by Chris Coons on Abortion.
Candidates and political leaders on Abortion:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 02, 2018