Yesterday Rick Santorum won the Minnesota and Colorado caucuses, as well as a nonbinding Missouri primary. All three races are considered largely symbolic given that no delegates were determined for the states last night. These are the first victories for Santorum since the Iowa caucuses on January 3.
Rick Santorum has been under fire for his statements opposing contraception. He has indicated that he is opposed not only to abortion but wants to repeal Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and allow states to ban birth control access. Moreover, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have signed an extreme anti- reproductive rights and health pledge indicating that they support state constitutional personhood amendments, which would give constitutional rights to a fertilized egg. The personhood amendments could also ban emergency contraception, birth control pills, and IUDs the amendment as well as all abortions, even in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. It could even eliminate medical choices for women like some cancer treatments, and in vitro fertilization.
Although Romney did not sign the Personhood USA pledge, he has indicated in an interview that he also supports “life” from the moment of conception.
Politico 2/8/12; Washington Post 2/8/12; New York Times 2/7/12
