Shifting Abortion Language Could Swing One of the Most Competitive House Races

Republican Rep. Tom Kean is labeling himself as “pro-choice,” frustrating Democrats who say his record says otherwise.

Tom Kean

Stefan Jeremiah/AP

One of the tightest House races in the country is coming down, in part, to how two candidates are talking about abortion. Republican Rep. Tom Kean is embracing traditionally liberal “pro-choice” rhetoric. Democrat Sue Altman says it’s the record that matters.

A Monmouth University poll released last week shows Kean trails Altman, the former director of the New Jersey Working Families Party, on who voters see as best on abortion, with 47% of voters in the district saying they trust Altman more on the issue and just 27% saying they trust the incumbent more.

Kean is one of a growing number of Republicans painting themselves as pro-choice. In a debate for the New Jersey seat earlier this month, Kean said three separate times that he’s pro-choice and would not support a national abortion ban.