Tom Lovell, Smith’s primary opponent, refuses to answer Missouri Right to Life survey and says “options” for abortion “have to be left on the table.”
Missouri Right to Life’s state Political Action Committee (PAC) has exclusively endorsed Sean Smith in the open seat race to replace Gary Cross, (R) the Missouri’s 35th District. Cross, who was term-limited serves a district that includes parts of Lee’s Summit, Kansas City and Raytown.
MRL’s PAC has even taken the unusual step of releasing an automated phone recording by Susan Klein, Executive Director of Missouri Right to Life. In the message, Klein asks primary voters in the 35th District for the August 7 primary. Hear Klein’s 30 second message, urging voters to vote for Sean Smith on August 7 HERE.
Klein says, “Sean Smith is the only verifiably pro-life candidate,” saying “he will be a strong voice for the rights of the unborn in the Missouri House.”
Tom Lovell, Sean Smith’s opponent “would not submit a survey to tell the voters what he truly believes,” according to Klein, and despite MRL’s repeated attempts to contact Lovell and receive a completed survey, they were ignored at every turn.
In a July 19 candidate forum held at John Knox Village in Lee’s Summit and sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Smith said he is “100% pro-life.” Smith also spoke of the importance of alternatives to abortion, to which Lovell responded that when those alternatives to abortion are not available, “options” for abortion “need to be left on the table.”
Lovell also told the candidate forum audience “there are so many variables involved in life and sometimes it’s not a simple answer. It’s not going to be something that we can leave all the different options out” and that he believed “there may be option and those have to be left on the table,” referring to abortion.
Despite his comments, Lovell has sent out two mailings in the last week following MRL’s exclusive endorsement of Smith, claiming he will protect the sanctify of life, leading many Republican primary observers to call his claims of being pro-life questionable and misleading.
Smith, who has the exclusive endorsement of Missouri Right to Life in the District 35 primary and the only AQ rating from the National Rifle Association.
Klein closed her 30 second call to voters in the 35th District by saying, “Please vote pro-life, vote for Sean Smith.”
