DENVER (AP) — A second Colorado Republican facing a tough race is disavowing so-called ‘personhood’ measures for fetuses.
Rep. Mike Coffman’s re-election campaign said Tuesday that the congressman no longer supports granting a fertilized egg the same legal rights as a person. Coffman’s Democratic challenger had demanded he reject the proposals, which were overwhelmingly rejected at the ballot box by Colorado voters in 2008 and 2010.
Coffman supported those initiatives. The issue didn’t make the ballot during Coffman’s last campaign, in 2012.
The change comes after Rep. Cory Gardner reversed his stance on personhood. He announced late last week he now opposed the measures because they may prohibit not just abortions but birth control. Gardner is challenging Democratic Sen Mark Udall. Democrats say Gardner’s changed his stance just to win an election.
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