Peterson loses MCCL endorsement

Posted at 3:16 PM on October 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD7

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, a group that lobbies against legalized abortion, has decided not to endorse DFL Rep. Collin Peterson for re-election.

MCCL spokesman Bil Poehler says his group has endorsed Peterson several times over the past few election cycles but said Peterson's stance on the federal health care law has prompted the MCCL to decide against endorsing him this year.

"We typically endorse candidates when they are 100 percent with us, but because he isn't with us on the Affordable Care Act, that's the case this time around," Poehler said.

Peterson is running for re-election in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, which includes much of the western part of the state. Poehler said his organization will not endorse anyone in the 7th. That hasn't stopped Republican Lee Byberg from using the MCCL's decision to his political advantage. Byberg, who lost to Peterson by nearly 18 percentage points in 2010, issued a statement criticizing Peterson.

"Obamacare is an abomination, and an affront to the conscience of millions of pro-life Americans. Collin Peterson gives lip service to our cause, but when the chips are down he votes with his party, not his conscience," Byberg said.

Peterson initially opposed the Affordable Care Act in 2009 but has voted against measures that would have defunded the program. He said earlier this year that the federal law known as Obamacare is "not all bad."

An official with Peterson's campaign said he just learned about MCCL's decision and said he would get back to me with a statement. I'll post it when it arrives.

MCCL's endorsement could play a factor in the 7th District. The group holds political power in many rural areas. For example, it endorsed Republican Chip Cravaack over DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2010 because of Oberstar's support of the Affordable Care Act. Cravaack defeated Oberstar with the help of the MCCL's endorsement.

Comments (4)

Surprising decision and rationale, given that MCCL is a key supporter of the ObamaCare exchanges!

Posted by Stephen Ambrose | October 9, 2012 6:48 PM

Peterson has consistently been pro-life. The Affordable Care Act is a large bill with aspects for everyone to like or dislike. For MCCL to get on the anti-Obamacare band wagon even though the bill included provisions desired by pro-life people, and included care for women who are choosing birth over abortion, is disturbing and demonstrates that MCCL has gone from being truly pro-life to being an arm of the right wing of the Republican party. Peterson indeed voted against the ACA, but is now committed to changing the things he doesn't think will work in the bill rather than repealing it. That's the right attitude. I support my Congressman.

Posted by Amy Wilde | October 10, 2012 10:45 AM

Saying Obamacare is "not all bad" is like saying Hitler wasn't all bad because he made the trains run on time. Sheesh!

Posted by Jay McHue | October 10, 2012 3:16 PM

Oops. Sorry about the multiple posts. My browser was being stupid.

Posted by Jay McHue | October 10, 2012 3:18 PM

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