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Isle Republicans
delete reference
to abortion rights

The once pro-choice platform
is silent on the contentious issue


By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com

Hawaii's Republicans wrapped up their state convention by changing their state platform to delete a reference to abortion.

The party, one of the most liberal state GOP parties in the country, has been divided over the issue as a strong conservative group pressed to include a right-to-life abortion plank.

Two years ago, new moderate party leaders, including Linda Lingle, who was GOP chairwoman at the time, amended the platform to support federal court decisions allowing abortion and also to oppose partial-birth abortion. The previous platform had included a right-to-life plank.

This year, conservative GOP legislators said it was difficult to run on a platform that backed abortion rights, while pro-choice legislators did not want the GOP to have an anti-abortion stance.

Yesterday's convention vote was seen by party leaders as a compromise that will help the GOP campaign in the fall.

Lingle, GOP candidate for governor, who is pro-choice, said she thought deleting the pro-choice platform plank "would be just great," because it would allow candidates to campaign on the local Republican platform, whether they favor or oppose abortion rights.

Micah Kane, GOP chairman, described the decision as a "maturing of the party."

"It respects the divisions of individuals regarding choice and I think it is a good position for us to be in," Kane said.

Kitty Lagareta, GOP communications chairwoman, who is strongly pro-choice, said removing the plank did not disturb her.

"The way I see it, we have a pretty solid pro-choice contingent and there is also a strong pro-life group," she said. "So we came to the conclusion we are tired of this coming up every platform, so this is an evolution."



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