Growing Our Party

AZRTL PAC Decision

Harms Pro-Life Agenda

- AGAIN!

Once again, the Arizona Right to Life Political Action Committee (AZRTL PAC) has shot the Pro-Life agenda in the head with confounding endorsements - or lack thereof.  Earlier this summer, the AZRTL PAC sold out to money interests by endorsing a candidate with a checkered record over a candidate with a 100% Pro-Life voting record.  Nearly all of the grass roots pro-life, pro-family Reagan conservatives felt that decision was not only irresponsible, it was likely to result in further federal pro-abortion actions.  Since this decision had such heinous possibilities to the unborn, many Pro-Life adherents protested the wrong headed decision with phone calls and e-mails but the PAC board chaired by Walt Opaska followed the orders of John Jakubczyk and his financial boss.  This bad decision caused such a rift that members of the AZRTL PAC Board resigned their position.


Today, the AZRTL PAC has compounded that bad decision.  AZRTL PAC released its endorsements for the General Election and has refused to endorse Tom Horne, who, according to their own press release "has publicly pledged to vigorously enforce and defend all pro-life laws and while in legislature, he voted to ban partial birth abortion (HB 2113 4/8/97) and supported a parental consent law (SB 1238 2/23/00). Democrat candidate Felecia Rotellini has refused to answer our questions regarding her position on abortion but is strongly supported by Sam Coppersmith, abortion provider Planned Parenthood, and the pro-abortion groups Emily's List and Arizona's List."

Growing Our Party takes a back seat to no one in support of Life and supports stringent standards for candidate endorsements.  For AZRTL PAC to refuse to endorse a candidate who has grown in his understanding of Pro-Life issues over many, many years, who has a record of supporting parental consent and banning partial birth abortion in the state legislature, who has NO history of taking any position against Life issues in the last decade, and who pledges to vigorously enforce and defend all pro-life laws when the opponent is one of the most radical pro-abortion candidates for the chief law enforcement for the state in recent history is irrational and could result in the loss of innocent life here in Arizona.

Growing Our Party endorsed Andy Thomas in the Primary because we believed him to be stronger on this issue than Mr.  Horne.  However, the Primary is over and we have to decide who is the better pro-life candidate placed before the voters on the General Election ballot.  There can be no doubt that Tom Horne is that person and that he is deserving of the AZRTL PAC endorsement.

Therefore, we call on AZRTL PAC to make a principled decision by reverse this decision and protect life by endorsing the candidacy of Tom Horne in this General Election.