Bart Stupak's Seat Goes to Pro-Life GOP Physician

LANSING, Michigan, November 2, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pro-life physician Dan Benishek (R) has seized the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, beating out his pro-life Democrat challenger.

With 80 percent of precincts reporting, Benishek has taken 51 percent of the vote over Gary McDowell’s (D) 47 percent in Michigan’s 1st District.

Stupak announced his retirement from Congress a month after exchanging his vote for the national health care reform law for an executive order from President Barack Obama that purports to ensure that public funds will not be used to subsidize abortion.

Stupak’s deal with the president outraged most pro-life groups, which had been supporting the stand Stupak and a cadre of pro-life Democrats had taken for months that they would only vote for the law with an added statute that prevented all abortion funding.

After Stupak’s much-decried decision to vote for health care, Benishek’s little-noticed campaign took off in this working class, Roman Catholic district that has only elected pro-life Democrats since Roe v. Wade.

Michigan Right to Life pulled their endorsement of Stupak and gave it to Benishek while local Tea Party groups also rallied to Benishek’s standard to defeat McDowell.

Stupak said he had been considering retirement for over six years. However, given the lack of forewarning, his retirement was widely believed to be the direct result of the explosively negative public reaction to his support of the Senate bill, which did not have the legislative fix he had succeeded in getting in the original House bill.

In April Stupak had dismissed the idea of the 1st District falling into GOP hands, saying he was not “impressed” by Benishek or any of the GOP candidates mounting a challenge.

See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:

Updated: Beleaguered Dem Rep. Bart Stupak Announces Retirement
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/apr/10040909.html

1 posted on 11/03/2010 4:02:52 PM PDT by wagglebee

To: cgk; Coleus; cpforlife.org; narses; Salvation; 8mmMauser

2 posted on 11/03/2010 4:04:42 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)

Praise be to the Lord!

3 posted on 11/03/2010 4:05:22 PM PDT by skr (May God confound the enemy)

Wooooooo Hooooooooooo!!!

4 posted on 11/03/2010 4:05:39 PM PDT by diamond6 (Pray the Rosary to defeat communism and Obamacare!!)

Yeah, but Bart Stupid said he was pro-life. LOL

Congrats to Dan Benishek nevertheless! It's good to see the seat flip to the GOP.

5 posted on 11/03/2010 4:05:39 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (In 2012: The Rookie and The Wookie get booted from the White House.)

To: 185JHP; 230FMJ; Albion Wilde; Aleighanne; Alexander Rubin; Amos the Prophet; ...

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6 posted on 11/03/2010 4:05:41 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)

To: wagglebee; cripplecreek

Michigan is a state which won big in this election. Many conservatives were voted in. Pro-lifers too!

7 posted on 11/03/2010 4:06:06 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker

Yea! Heard last night he won, but couldn’t remember who he ran against. Woo hoo!

8 posted on 11/03/2010 4:06:29 PM PDT by beaversmom

**************

Looks like you have a winner in Benishek...

Congrats!!

9 posted on 11/03/2010 4:06:29 PM PDT by Wings-n-Wind (The main things are the plain things!)

Stupak was that fake pro-lifer, right? Who admits he donates to his local Planned Parenthood?

10 posted on 11/03/2010 4:06:42 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com <--- My Fiction/ Science Fiction Board)

To: stephenjohnbanker

11 posted on 11/03/2010 4:07:08 PM PDT by beaversmom

12 posted on 11/03/2010 4:10:00 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker

I never dreamed I’d participate in an election like this in Michigan! Feels so good to have gotten these people into office! Good going Michigan!

13 posted on 11/03/2010 4:17:07 PM PDT by Cheryllynn

“Pro-life physician Dan Benishek (R) has seized the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, beating out his pro-life Democrat challenger.”

Baloney. All Democrats are pro-aborts. Just look at the record of Baby Killer Bart Stupak.

14 posted on 11/03/2010 4:19:13 PM PDT by sitetest ( If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)

I wonder if he ever got those 30 dimes I sent him?

15 posted on 11/03/2010 4:21:09 PM PDT by BenKenobi (Support COD - "Cash on Delivery" for DE Senate!)

We’ve got a slew of doctors in Congress now.

16 posted on 11/03/2010 4:25:13 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek (He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty Psalm 91:)

U.P. wide there is just one democrat legislator left. And that is the 109th state house seat. Gonna be a lonely man.

We swept the place clean and that folks, is how it is done.

17 posted on 11/03/2010 4:35:00 PM PDT by crz

Excellent.

I sure hope he’s going to be a persuasive voice on the whole healthcare reform debate.

(axing it, IWO)

18 posted on 11/03/2010 4:39:21 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)

I like your tagline. That’s one of the things we need to pray for.

19 posted on 11/03/2010 4:40:21 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)

Has Judas Stupak pocketed his Soros’ funded 30 pieces of silver yet?

I say that sarcastically, but I guarantee you he took the offer of a large, large payoff for his vote.

20 posted on 11/03/2010 4:44:58 PM PDT by comps4spice (Ding Dong the Witch (Pelosi) is dead!)

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