Despite concern from women’s groups and Boston University students about gubernatorial candidate Mitt Romney’s stance on abortion, Romney says he intends to protect the state abortion laws.
Although Romney personally opposes abortion, the Republican hopeful has vowed that, as governor, he would protect a woman’s right to choose under state and federal law.
“It seems to me he has the same position as any other pro-choice candidate,” said campaign spokesman Eric Ferhnstrom.
Ferhnstrom said Romney would look into each law separately.
“As far as any legislation pending, Romney would study those bills on a case-by-case basis before taking any position on them,” he said.
College of Engineering graduate student Alexei Gaidarzy said he feels Romney needs to make a firmer statement about the actions he plans to take on the issue.
“If he wants that power, he needs to explain what he’s going to do with it,” Gaidarzy said. “Claiming he won’t oppose women’s rights doesn’t say much.”
Michelle Ringuette, senior communications officer for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said she remains eager to converse with Romney about his intentions.
“It is most important to Planned Parenthood and the pro-choice majority in the state that we have an advocate for reproductive rights in the governor’s office,” Ringuette said.
“This is a fundamental issue for women’s liberty and access to economic freedoms,” she added. “And unfortunately, it’s sometimes put on the back burner in people’s minds. It’s our responsibility to remind people that if we don’t continue to recognize this is one of our most cherished freedoms, we stand in danger of losing it.”
Ringuette said the rights women have fought long and hard for are “being systematically eroded and chipped away at on state and federal levels.” Contraceptive coverage and buffer zone bills passed only after years of public outcry, lobbying and stringent grassroots efforts, she said.
“I hope that Romney is deeply committed to upholding a woman’s right to choose, and not just upholding laws, because those laws are only holding on by a thread,” Ringuette said.
The anxiety is unnecessary, according to Tom McCuin, political director of the Massachusetts Republican Party.
“It’s really such a red herring issue,” McCuin said. “People are trying to make such a big deal about it, but when it comes down to it, the law is the law, and unless you’re going to overturn Roe v. Wade, of which there is virtually no chance, the government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts really has very little impact on this issue.”
Ringuette disagreed, saying Massachusetts voters need to know what each candidate would do to improve access to reproductive healthcare services, as well as how the candidates plan to direct state agencies and what their positions are on sexuality education.
College of Communication senior Stephanie Albrycht said the issue is more complicated than a conflict among the parties.
“Even as a Democrat, I have to have a certain amount of respect for him, because even though he personally opposes abortion, he’s not trying to do what other Republicans do, which is to change the current laws to match their personal beliefs,” she said.
Albrycht said she is not worried about Romney’s position on abortion rights.
“It’s not as big of a deal as it would be in a presidential election,” she said. “Having a pro-life president, like Bush, who can appoint highly conservative people to committees — that I find much more scary.”
School of Hospitality Administration senior Erica Lagios said she was concerned some of the state laws might be changed.
“My concern would be if new laws come up, whether he’ll be supporting or opposing them,” she said. “He needs to talk about the issue more and be wide open about it.”
Katherine Borden, vice president of the BU College Republicans, also said the issue is “overblown.” She said the Democrats may be pushing the abortion issue to frighten voters their way.
“When Romney says he’ll support women’s right to choose, he will, especially in a state where two-thirds of the citizens are pro-choice,” she said.
College of Arts and Sciences senior Josh Beer, however, proposed Romney may be the one who is afraid.
“Republicans are willing to sacrifice that stance to take the head of a Democratic state, and I don’t think Romney wants to risk the whole election for this one issue,” he said.
Dan Ortiz, a senior in the University Professors program, agreed.
“He’s saying what he knows he has to say publicly,” Ortiz said. “Ideologically, he’s opposed to abortion, yet it seems he’s only supporting it because he realizes that’s the stance he needs to take in a primarily Democratic state.”
Other students said Romney’s position is admirable.
“I think it was brave of him to say he’ll support the existing Legislature, because most Republicans want to change the law,” said CAS junior Gabrielle Saylor. “It’s good that he’s separating his personal feelings from his politics, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to uphold that.”