DALLAS -- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison reiterated her support
for restrictions on abortions but acknowledged she opposes
overturning Roe v. Wade.
Hutchison said she is "very concerned about what would happen"
if the landmark Supreme Court ruling was overturned.
At the same time, she touted her belief in parental consent for
minors seeking abortions and her support for bans on late-term
abortions.
Her remarks came in a one-on-one questioning session Friday
during a televised debate among the three Republican candidates for
Texas governor. At a previous debate, Gov. Rick Perry pointed out
that she had once been praised by an abortion-rights group.
Perry began the second debate by defending his failed
plan for a massive tollway system through Texas.
Perry said he didn't "think it was a mistake at all to have a
vision to move people and produce through the state
expeditiously."
The debate was at a television studio in downtown Dallas.
The candidates faced a panel of print and television reporters, but
no studio audience. It was broadcast live around the state on
Belo-owned stations.
It is the last scheduled debate before the March 2 Republican
primary and was originally billed as a showdown between Perry and
Hutchison.
GOP activist Debra Medina originally was not invited, until a
good showing at the first debate boosted her poll numbers.
