Suburban Democrats Banking on Abortion Issue
Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia), a suburban Democrat who is using abortion as a key message in her campaign for re-election.
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Three suburban House Democratic candidates launched broadcast TV ads Tuesday, and its clear suburban liberals believe abortion is their ticket to election in November.
The ads, from Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia), Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville), Rep. Janet Yang-Rohr (D-Naperville), who was actually up on broadcast last week, and Arlington Heights City Council member Mary Beth Canty all target their Republican opponents on the abortion issue. Sen. Tammy Duckworth also released a new abortion-related ad Tuesday. In fact, the only suburban Democrat to go on broadcast TV Tuesday without a focus on abortion was Sen. Suzy Glowiak-Hilton (D-Western Springs), who ran a more ethics-related message. (Senate Democrats may see a weakness for their candidates on the issue given all of the criminal issues surrounding current and former SDems in recent months.)
For the singular focus suburban Democrats have on the abortion issue, downstate Democrats appear to be avoiding it. In the Metro East, ads from Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) and appointed Sen. Kris Tharp (D-Bethalto) avoid the issue. Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) is running two :15 ads, one positive ad that doesn’t mention abortion and another attacking her Republican opponent, Jennifer Korte, on the issue.
Another downstate candidate, Cynthia Cunningham, is even attacking Rep. Mike Marron (R-Fithian) from the right.
“Democrats in the suburbs are putting all of their eggs in this basket,” said a GOP operative. “The problem is, I don’t think Republicans know how to respond on the issue.”
Clearly, Democrats have identified it as their top issue with suburban women this fall.