The American Spectator

Former Sen. Dan Coats picked up the National Right to Life Committee PAC’s endorsement in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN). NRLC’s political director, Karen Cross, issued the following statement:

As a member of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Dan Coats was a leading champion for pro-life policies. Dan Coats was the author of key pro-life amendments, including a law that prevents the government from penalizing medical training programs for refusing to provide training in abortion. In addition, he was part of successful efforts to curb federal funding of abortion and an early supporter of the successful pro-life campaign to ban partial-birth abortion.

His opponent, Brad Ellsworth voted to enact President Obama’s pro-abortion health care legislation - legislation which will provide government funding for health plans that pay for abortion on demand, and also contains multiple provisions that will promote the rationing of lifesaving medical treatments.

Dan Coats can be trusted to protect our most vulnerable citizens - our unborn children. Dan Coats’ exemplary pro-life record should earn him the support of all voters who are concerned with the right to life and with the protection of the most vulnerable members of the human family.

While this endorsement isn’t surprising, it does represent something of a blow to Brad Ellsworth’s attempt to brand himself as a pro-life Democrat. Indiana Right to Life’s PAC has already announced it will not endorse any Democrats during this election cycle and endorsed Coats — along with three of his four opponents — during the Republican primary.