Are you pro-life enough? Loren Leman weighs in on District 9 dispute

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Loren Leman

MEANWHILE, PRO-LIFE ALASKA ISSUES ITS ENDORSEMENTS — INCLUDING RAUSCHER

Former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman on Monday wrote a letter to Pat Martin, head of Alaska Right to Life, admonishing him for Martin’s scorched earth tactics against pro-life candidates.

Leman, a well-known pro-life advocate who has championed the rights of the unborn his whole life, wrote specifically in defense of Rep. George Rauscher, who is running for his seat in District 9, which stretches from the Mat-Su Valley to Valdez and Whittier.

Rauscher lost the blessing of Martin and Alaska Right to Life, which has said he isn’t pro-life enough.

Working with Rep. David Eastman to oust Rauscher and install Pam Goode in the District 9 seat, Martin sent out mailers revoking its endorsement of Rauscher, as well as killing the endorsements he had earlier given to Rep. Cathy Tilton and Rep. DeLena Johnson, both Valley Republicans.

George Rauscher

The Alaska Right to Life group had already revoked its endorsement of Sen. Cathy Giessel, another staunch pro-life advocate. None of these legislators have done enough, Martin said.

Only David Eastman retained the endorsement of Martin’s group.

However, the Alaska Right to Life organization is no longer affiliated with the National Right to Life organization.

The new affiliate for National Right to Life, called Pro-Life Alaska, has given Rauscher and other advocates for the unborn its endorsement; the entire list is at the bottom of this story.

LOREN LEMAN LETTER MADE PUBLIC

To: PatMartin@AlaskaRightToLife.org
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2018 10:05:36 AM
Subject: Senseless attacks on our friends

Pat,

I am very disappointed in your message.  George Rauscher is our friend in the pro-life battle. When we attack our friends, we defeat ourselves.  Your baseless attack reminds me of similar criticism directed at me when I was first elected to the House nearly 30 years ago. Even though I was one of 14 members in the minority in the House, the Alaska Right to Life leader said I wasn’t doing enough.  He later apologized to me–and I believe the record is clear that I was one of the most effective pro-life legislators in Alaska during the past three decades.  No, we haven’t yet won the battle, but it hasn’t been for lack of trying.

If you are trying to demonstrate that you can defeat a strongly pro-life legislator who doesn’t do things exactly your way, you just might.  But think hard about who the district will have as a replacement.  Your strategy is flawed.

Loren Leman

PRO-LIFE ALASKA ISSUES 2018 ENDORSEMENT LIST

2 COMMENTS

  1. Loren Leman can certainly have any opinion he wants but he is erroneous when he indicates that Alaska RTL’s position is baseless. Alaskans should understand that the whole 30th Legislature (both years) is public record. Not a single thing occurs down there in Committee or on the House Floor that is not recorded and on video. I challenge anyone to find a single time and que up for us all ANYTIME that Rauscher spoke for Alaskans in the womb, on the legislative record, lets hear/see it. At the very least at the end of each Floor session legislators have an opportunity to ask permission (and always receive it) to speak on any topic they want. Now compare that to what Rauscher indicated he would do in his RTL survey/pledge which he voluntarily completed. He is either a man of his word or he is not.

    Rauscher stumped in his last election bid with the RTL endorsement to get elected with a narrow margin. From what I understand from Alaska RTL’s point of view Rauscher did not do what he indicated he would do. He sponsored the wrong bill HB266, The Abortion Procedures Act and even though it would have taken less than a minute to fill out the little chit sheet form to co-sponsor HB250, the bill to eliminate abortion in Alaska, did not bother till the very end of the legislative session when nothing could be done, thus trying to take political cover. You can say he is pro-life all you want, Rauscher can say and believe it himself. If even a fraction of the effort to keep him in power were used to present to the issue as a statesman and speak out for Alaskans in the womb I am sure he would have been looked at differently.

    If anyone reading this would like to read more about HB266 that Rauscher co-sponsored click the link below as it had over 1,000 comments during the legislative session.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=947428225415131&set=gm.2071412966421902&type=3&theater&ifg=1

  2. This Patrick Martin zealot and his merry band of illiterate populist gasbags need to hit the road. Fortunately we have Pro Life Alaska, the legitimate organization associated with National RTL. Alaska RTL is NOT a valid RTL organization. It is a phony outfit run by psychologically unbalanced people. Truly pro life folks need to steer clear of this collection of whack jobs who are clearly doing this cause more harm than good.

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