Murphy backs public funding for some abortions

Democrat Scott Murphy said he supports some taxpayer funding of abortion for women on Medicaid or other national healthcare programs.

“Yes, I think that we do need to as part of the Medicaid system provide comprehensive health care to everyone in the community,” Murphy said when asked by The Weekly Standard. “We need to provide them with reproductive health care as well.”‘

The comments come amid a day when the Democratic candidate for Congress had focused his campaign on supporting embryonic stem cell research — drawing contrasts with Republican challenger James Tedisco, who opposes such research.

Murphy also told the Standard’s John McCormack that he supports the Employee Free Choice Act and a surge of troops in Afghanistan, while indicating that he opposes an assault weapons ban.

Murphy’s would-be predecessor, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), was known for her support for gunowners’ rights while in the House, a stance which may leave her open to a primary challenger in 2010.