Abortion and the City Council campaign

The abortion battles that divided Cincinnati City Council in the 1980s are largely over, the result of court decisions that have taken the question out of the city's hands. No longer are there pitched battles over appointments to the Cincinnati Board of Health, or debates about the regulation of abortion clinics in the city.

But abortion politics still plays a role in city politics. The last abortion vote was in January 2004, when Republicans tried to get the city manager to write abortion coverage out of the city's health care plans. It failed, 6-3.

More importantly, the combatants in the culture wars worry that up-and-coming politicians could use City Council as a springboard to higher office that might have more of an impact on abortion -- say, Congress or the governor's mansion.

So with that as background, here's where the candidates stand on the issue:

The Cincinnati Women's Political Caucus has endorsed seven candidates for Cincinnati City Council. They are: Eve Bolton, Laketa Cole, David C. Crowley, Samantha Herd, Jeff Berding, Wendell P. Young and Damon Lynch III. All are Democrats.

"We look for candidates -- both men and women -- who support women's issues, the equality of women," said Kathy Helmbock of the women's caucus. "And we support candidates who reflect that by, among other things, being pro-choice, supporting a woman's right to abortion if she wishes it. Just like opposition to abortion is a hallmark of Right to Life. It's not the only issue, but it's the main one for us."

The Cincinnati Right to Life Political Action Committee won't make its endorsements until Oct. 10, said executive director Paula Westwood. But answers to its candidate questionnaires suggest that the following candidates are in the running for the group's endorsement: Democrats John Cranley and Cecil Thomas; Republicans John Eby, Sam Malone and Chris Monzel; and independents Bill Barron, Paul McGhee, Michael Earl Patton and Robert J. Wilking.

With a few exceptions and qualifications on individual questions, all of them said they oppose Roe v. Wade, taxpayer funding of abortion, stem-cell research and assisted suicide. Most also said they would oppose the nomination of "pro-abortion candidates for the Board of Health" and would refuse campaign contributions from abortion rights groups.

Neither group expects to make an endorsement in the mayor's race. Mark L. Mallory and David Pepper both favor abortion rights.