Abortion again a hot topic for Senate candidates

It's an issue that has raised the eyebrows and blood pressures of countless candidates since the Supreme Court handed down Roe v. Wade in 1973. Since then, it has also become a hot topic on college campuses nationwide.\nThis year, the three Indiana candidates for U.S. Senate have strong opinions on the legality, morality and constitutionality of abortion.\nIncumbent Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., has maintained his pro-life stance for 24 years in the Senate and has no plans to change in the future.\n"Lugar opposes abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or where the life of the mother is in danger," said Gail Lowry, Lugar's campaign press secretary in Indianapolis.\nLugar's opponents -- Democrat David Johnson and Libertarian Paul Hager -- said they believe having an abortion is a woman's right.\n"I regard this issue as a privacy issue under the Constitution," Johnson said. "Roe v. Wade is the correct interpretation."\nBut Johnson said he believes the government should play only a small role in a woman's decision to have an abortion. \n"It involves some of the most important and profound moral questions that we have," he said. "I don't think the federal government belongs at the table in helping make that decision."\nJohnson said he does not support late-term or partial birth abortions.\nLibertarian Hager said he also believes abortion is a woman's constitutional right. Hager has worked in the past as a clinic escort for Planned Parenthood, and said he supports the recently introduced abortion drug, RU-486.\n"We need to keep it available," Hager said. "This is a perfect example of the use of federal bureaucracy to override science with politics."\nThis year, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Greater Indiana sent out a questionnaire to all three Senate candidates. The 14-question survey dealt with issues such as family planning and abortion, access to services, parental consent, sex education, contraceptive coverage and international family planning. Based on his responses, the group decided to endorse Democrat David Johnson.\n"Mr. Johnson answered the questions with a 100 percent rating," said Dinah Farrington, the vice president for public policy of Planned Parenthood Advocates.\nNeither Hager nor Lugar returned the questionnaire, but Farrington said Lugar's pro-life history didn't mesh with the group's fundamental principles.\n"He opposes abortion, and his voting record has certainly been in opposition to Planned Parenthood," Farrington said. \nOn a national Congressional scorecard, Lugar voted with Planned Parenthood zero percent of the time.\nFarrington said she believes Lugar is "really a fine person on a lot of global issues, but on issues that matter to women and families, he isn't there, and Mr. Johnson is."\nShannon Goings, president of IU Students for Life, said her organization has been trying to educate voters about the candidates' positions on the issue of abortion.\n"Our organization works to educate women on why abortion is wrong, that its taking the life of an unborn baby," Goings said. "Were focusing on the election and which candidates have pro-life stances."\nBut because the group is bipartisan, it cannot endorse a particular candidate.\n"We can't specifically say, 'We like this guy, go vote for him," Goings explained. "But we can educate on what views candidates have."\nFor Goings, the decision is easy. She will vote for the candidate who represents her commitment to the pro-life standpoint Nov. 7.\n"For Senate," she said, "Lugar"