R.I. races arouse interest

An online women's news service has pegged Rhode Island's 2006 congressional races as pivotal in the national abortion debate.

In a June 8 article headlined, "Choice figures heavily in Rhode Island races," Women's eNews writer Allison Stevens took note of the Democratic primary race brewing in the 2nd Congressional District - Brown University political science Prof. Jennifer L. Lawless announced plans to challenge Rep. James R. Langevin last week - and speculation over a possible Republican primary for the Senate seat held by Lincoln D. Chafee. Women's eNews editor in chief Rita Henley Jensen said the races attracted her publication's attention because of the candidates' disparate views on abortion. She said the only other 2006 congressional race the news service has profiled so far is a Minnesota Senate race that features two female candidates, and in which abortion is also a central issue.

"The composition of Congress, and the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court, is of intense interest to women," Jensen said.

Lawless is pro-choice, and has already made the issue a pillar of her campaign. Langevin generally opposes legalized abortion.

Chafee is pro-choice, and is endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice America. His would-be opponent, Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey, has not taken a public position on abortion, but the article linked him to declared antiabortion politicians, predicting that if he enters, he would score an endorsement from at least one group that has donated to such politicians.

Quoting Darrell West, another Brown political science professor, the article concluded that Lawless is a "dark horse" who "does not enjoy the benefit of incumbency" and "faces a popular lawmaker who has won his last two races with three quarters of the vote."

The article said Laffey, who has hinted at interest but has not declared for the seat, "has a better chance to shake things up" in a Republican primary, noting that "only a small percentage of registered voters usually determine the outcomes of primary races." It said local Republicans "are angered by Chafee's tendency to go against the grain."

Launched in 2000, Women's eNews is a nonprofit, Internet-based daily news service that publishes, on average, seven original stories each week. Based in New York, it has nine staffers, including Stevens, who reports from Washington.

Jensen said the news service has 3 million readers a month, among visitors to its Web site, direct e-mail subscriptions, and subscriptions through distribution lists.

She said Women's eNews is nonpartisan and does not choose sides on issues - except one that would lead to support for Lawless. "If we have a stance, it is that women should participate fully in democracy," Jensen said. "Therefore, 51 members of the Senate should be female, and five members of the Supreme Court should be female."

This article, written by Scott MacKay, Liz Anderson, and Elizabeth Gudrais, appeared on June 20, 2005, in the Providence Journal.