Pennsylvania Democratic senatorial candidates -- state Treasurer Bob Casey, Chuck Pennacchio and Alan Sandals -- in a 90-minute debate on Saturday "sparred" on several issues, including abortion rights, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports (O'Toole, Pittsburg Post-Gazette, 4/9). Casey -- who has said he opposes abortion rights with exceptions for cases involving rape or incest or to save the life of the woman -- is running against abortion-rights supporters Pennacchio and Sandals in the May Democratic primary (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/23). Sandals and Pennacchio during the debate said they believe that Roe v. Wade -- the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively barred state abortion bans -- is a legal precedent and should be upheld, while Casey said he opposes the decision. Casey distinguished his position from that of incumbent Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who opposes abortion rights, by adding that he supports family planning services, the Post-Gazette reports (Pittsburg Post-Gazette, 4/9). Pennacchio during the debate also criticized Sandals for changing his views on parental notification to earn the support of the National Organizational for Women (Yates, AP/Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 4/9). The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recruited Casey to run against Santorum (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/23).

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Race
The Wisconsin State Journal on Saturday examined the abortion-related stances of Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mark Green (R) and incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle (D), noting that the positions that "stand out even in the black-and-white realm of abortion politics." According to the State Journal, Green co-sponsored legislation that would extend constitutional protections to fetuses from the moment of conception and voted to support a law that prohibits female troops from undergoing abortion at military hospitals overseas. Doyle vetoed legislation that would have allowed pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control and also vetoed legislation that would have required physicians to notify women seeking abortion that the fetus can feel pain. Green has said that if elected his "highest [abortion-related] priority" would be to ban so-called "partial-birth" abortions, which were outlawed in the state six years ago but the ban was ruled unconstitutional. Doyle has said he would sign a bill barring partial-birth abortion "tomorrow" if the law includes an exception for the health of the woman, the State Journal reports. Green has called for a ban on abortion without an exception for the health of the woman. Doyle did not respond to interview requests, but spokesperson Dan Leistikow said Doyle "supports women's right to make their own very personal medical decisions" (Brinkman, Wisconsin State Journal, 4/9).