The pro-abortion group Emily’s List, which only endorses candidates who support taxpayer funding of abortion and partial-birth abortions, has endorsed Democratic nominee Kathy Hochul in the upcoming special election in New York.
Although Democrats have been slow to put financial and organizational resources behind Hochul in her race against Republican nominee Jane Corwin to replace former Rep. Chris Lee in the May 24 race, Emily’s List believes the presence of a third-party candidate could disrupt enough votes to allow Hochul to win on a plurality vote.
“In a special election where millionaire opponents could split the vote, Kathy’s strong candidacy gives Democrats an excellent opportunity to take back a GOP-held seat,” Emily’s List president Stephanie Schriock said in a statement LifeNews obtained. “A tireless public servant, Kathy always stands up for what she believes in and we are proud to put the support of the EMILY’s List community behind her.”
“Hochul was re-elected in 2010 with a whopping 79 percent of the vote. With Kathy on the ballot, Democrats have a shot at taking over this seat in the May 24 special election and building vital momentum for the 2012 campaign,” she added. “With a heavy-spending third-party candidate on the ballot, Kathy Hochul is poised to nab this GOP seat and join the fight against anti-choice Republicans in the U.S. House.”
Endorsements from Emily’s List normally include financial support for the candidate along with staff and organizational assistance and it is unclear how much Emily’s List will contribute to Hochul’s campaign, though without other elections taking place now the group could put in a sizable investment if it truly believes she has a chance of winning the otherwise Republican district.
A Roll Call report indicates Hochul, the Erie County Clerk, raised $357,000 for her campaign through the end of March while Corwin raised $1.1 million and had more in the bank than her Democratic challenger.
However, millionaire Jack Davis, running as a Tea Party candidate, loaned his campaign $1.59 million and has been spending heavily in an effort to gain votes.
Lee became a national laughingstock after sending a shirtless photo of himself to a woman he met on Craigslist. He quickly resigned, leaving his House seat open.
