Q&A with Alaska U.S. House candidates: What is your position on abortion?

The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for U.S. House running in the special primary election to answer a series of questions. Read all of their responses here.

What is your position on abortion?

Jay R. Armstrong (R)

I believe in the right to life. Life is already started before a heart beats, and ends when the heart stops beating. Our constitution for the U.S. does not give any power to Congress to deal with this controversial issue. I’m a constitutionalist and believe in limited government. This is and always has been a state and individual issue that the U.S. federal government should never have gotten involved in, like many things.

Tim Beck (undeclared)

I feel an individual has the responsibility to control their health rights without government interfering.

Nick Begich (R)

Pro-life.

Gregg B. Brelsford (undeclared)

Respectfully, there are strong and sincere feelings among Alaskans on all sides of this deeply important matter. I am pro-freedom. Alaskans have the freedom to decide what to do with their bodies: what to put on, or in, their body, including to not wear a COVID mask on their face and not stick a COVID vaccine needle in their arm, and a woman has the same freedom as these others to decide how to treat her body, including her pregnancy. No woman happily seeks this or should be punished for her individual choice. As the Good Book says, mercy is what God asks for all of his children.

Robert Brown (nonpartisan)

I am pro-choice.

Arlene Carle (nonpartisan)

Abortion should be legal, safe, rare and performed early in a pregnancy — within the first 10 weeks.

Santa Claus (undeclared)

I agree with Senator Bernie Sanders’ position: “Oppose all efforts to undermine or overturn Roe v. Wade, and appoint federal judges who will uphold women’s most fundamental rights.”

John B. Coghill Jr. (R)

I am pro-life.

Christopher S. Constant (D)

I support a woman’s right to make decisions about her body, full stop. This is a decision between a woman and her doctor, and one the government should have no say in. I support the right to an abortion established by Roe v. Wade, and am appalled by the political decision to reverse established law. Reversing a decision that has stood for 50 years is nearly unheard of and sets a dangerous precedent of the Supreme Court removing liberties, rather than expanding them.

Otto H. Florschutz III (R)

I am pro-life.

Al Gross (nonpartisan)

My mother Shari always reminds me that before Roe v. Wade, women had to choose between the law and their lives. My wife Monica and I refuse to allow our daughters to be forced to make the same life and death decisions. As a doctor, I understand that health care decisions are personal and complicated. We must keep the government out of our personal lives, including our health care decisions. When I’m elected to Congress, I’ll vote to finally enshrine women’s reproductive rights into law once and for all.

Andrew J. Halcro (nonpartisan)

I am pro-choice.

Ted S. Heintz (Libertarian)

Pregnancy usually requires sex, which is usually a choice with known and readily avoided risks — thus, prevention is preferred. Therefore, I support free birth control as well as free and streamlined adoption. In the case of rape, a free morning after pill if wanted. In general, I’m usually against taking life except to save life; accordingly, the life and safety of the mother would certainly be prioritized.

William “Bill” D. Hibler III (nonpartisan)

Abortion should be available, with some restrictions related to viability and or fetal heartbeat detection, and for victims of rape and incest.

Jeff B. Lowenfels (nonpartisan)

I believe very strongly that it is a woman’s sole right to control her own body and choose what she wants; it is none of the government’s business what a woman decides to do with her body.

Mike E. Melander (R)

Support.

Mike Milligan (D)

I believe that a woman is the best person to make the decisions regarding her own body. I remember the pre-Roe v. Wade days, and I think any attempt to go back is a huge mistake. We have examples of government pro-birth policies from communist Romania decades ago that are still causing social problems there. Just let the woman decide. Regardless of your position, Americans should have guaranteed maternity leave.

J.R. Myers (Libertarian)

I oppose abortion altogether, except to save the life of the mother. I believe in the right to life for all innocents, from conception to natural death. I oppose abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, capital punishment (in the absence of justice), police killings and war. It is imperative that we vigorously defend a culture of life, or we will fall to the culture of death.

Robert Ornelas (American Independent Party)

I oppose. The woman has the right to self defense but the fetus has to be the cause of attacking her. The physician’s job is to try to save both woman and child.

Sarah Palin (R)

Abortion is taking the life of an innocent baby. Thus, I am unapologetically pro-life, and I’ll do what I can to help usher in a culture of life, love and compassion in our country.

Silvio E. Pellegrini (undeclared)

The framing of current laws suffices in a balance between the protection of life and individual liberty over one’s body.

Mary S. Peltola (D)

Pro-choice.

Tara M. Sweeney (R)

I do not believe that the federal government should have a role in a woman’s health care decisions. That decision is between a woman and her medical provider, not the government. I also oppose taxpayer dollars being used to pay for abortions. I would vote to codify Roe v. Wade if that was the only intent of the legislation. For example, I could support the proposal put forward by Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, since it provides the same protections as Roe v. Wade.

Adam L. Wool (D)

I support a woman’s right to choose. I support safe and legal access to abortion. I believe a woman and her doctor should have privacy to discuss and decide the issue of abortion. I realize some people have their own opinions and that’s fine, but they should respect the opinions of others. At some point, this is a question of personal belief, and we must recognize that not everyone has the same personal beliefs — especially when considering the question as to when “life begins.”

Stephen Wright (R)

Pro-life from conception to natural death!

Multiple candidates did not respond to this survey question. They include:

• Dennis “Denny” W. Aguayo (nonpartisan)

• Brian T. Beal (undeclared)

• Chris Bye (Libertarian)

• John T. Callahan (R)

• Lady Donna Dutchess (nonpartisan)

• Laurel A. Foster (nonpartisan)

• Thomas “Tom” R. Gibbons (R)

• Karyn Griffin (undeclared)

• John Wayne Howe (Alaska Independence Party)

• David Hughes (undeclared)

• Don Knight (nonpartisan)

• Robert “Bob” Lyons (R)

• Anne M. McCabe (nonpartisan)

• Sherry M. Mettler (undeclared)

• Emil Notti (D)

• Joshua C. Revak (R)

• Maxwell Sumner (R)

• David Thistle (undeclared)

• Ernest F. Thomas (D)

• Richard “Clayton” Trotter (R)

• Bradley D. Welter (R)

• Jason G. Williams (undeclared)

• Jo Woodward (R)