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GOP hopefuls oppose Frist on key issue Candidates' opposition to stem-cell research may cost some support By BILL POOVEY, Associated Press July 9, 2006 CHATTANOOGA - Catering to religious conservatives, the three Republicans seeking U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's seat strongly disagree with his support for government funding of embryonic stem-cell research - a position that could cost the GOP nominee support in the fall election. The AARP has 685,000 members in Tennessee, and spokesman Brian McGuire said opponents of stem-cell research aimed at finding treatments for Alzheimer's and other incurable diseases are out of step with the advocacy group for senior citizens. "Health care is important, and this is part of health care," McGuire said. "We believe stem-cell research is a critical ... in terms of treating and preventing diseases and conditions affecting people of all ages." The GOP candidates - former Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker and former U.S. Reps. Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary - are speaking against the stem-cell research Frist favors as they battle for the votes of religious conservatives opposed to abortion. Anti-abortion groups have fought the research because extracting stem cells from a days-old embryo results in its death. Supporters of the federal legislation say it would allow research only on donated embryos left over from fertility treatments. The likely Democratic nominee, U.S. Rep. Harold Ford, co-sponsored the enhanced stem-cell funding bill that passed the House this year. Frist, a heart transplant surgeon and potential presidential candidate in 2008, stunned some conservatives when he switched positions last year. He has promised to bring the measure to a Senate vote before this session of Congress adjourns, and President Bush has threatened to veto it. Former first lady Nancy Reagan began promoting the research while caring for her husband, who had Alzheimer's disease for more than a decade before his death. She has lobbied the Republican-controlled Congress to pass the legislation that national polls suggest is supported by a large majority of Americans. "We can cure diseases without destroying life," Hilleary spokeswoman Jennifer Coxe said. "Either you believe life is sacred and should be protected or you don't." Doug Daugherty, a volunteer for the Corker Pro-Life Leadership Council, said abortion is an important issue in the Republican primary. "To get out the base vote, you've got to be pro-life," Daugherty said. Bryant and Hilleary say they oppose abortion except to save the life of the mother. Corker says he opposes abortion except to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape and incest. But that is different from a position he took several years ago, which was to personally oppose abortion but to argue that the government shouldn't be involved in the issue. "Bob Corker's history of actions are not pro-life," said Ed Albin, administrator of Tennessee Right to Life, an anti-abortion group supporting Bryant. Albin said abortion is getting a lot of attention in the race "because Tennessee is a pro-life state." "As an organization, we oppose stem-cell research that involves the killing of a human embryo," Albin said. "We do disagree with Senator Frist on that, as do the Republican candidates." Robert Swansbrough, a University of Chattanooga political science professor, said Frist is very conservative but that "with his medical background, sees another side of it." Swansbrough said catering to religious conservative voters in the GOP primary could cause irreparable damage because the Republican Senate nominee will need to attract support from some Democrats in the Nov. 7 general election. "It's going to be kind of hard to move back to center," Swansbrough said. Copyright 2006, Associated Press. © 2006 - Knoxville News Sentinel Other E.W. Scripps sites: Advertising Information: Contact User Agreement Privacy Policy Subscriptions Print Advertising Info Online Media Kit Contact Us ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn