Some women’s rights activists and pro-choice proponents are accusing potential Republican presidential candidates already campaigning for the 2000 elections of avoiding the abortion issue.

“The Republican platform is usually anti-abortion, and the candidates are working around the issue in a ploy to look more reasonable and less conservative,” said Pam Thomas, director of the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center. “There is a danger of eroding away women’s right to choose.”

Some voters believe the Republicans’ vagueness is simply a way to sway more people to vote for them.

“By not being particularly pro-choice or aligning with the pro-life side, their opinions are ambiguous enough to possibly retain an appeal to more voters,” said Clare Hinrichs, assistant professor of sociology.

Other voters have a recollection of pro-life statements made by some candidates and feel Republicans may want a more moderate image.

“As far as I know, all of the Republican candidates are anti-choice,” said Judy Rutledge, vice president of governmental affairs for Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa in Des Moines. “[George W.] Bush and [Elizabeth] Dole are attempting to give the impression that they are moderates, but they are trying to hide their true position and cover up past statements.”

Thomas said America is beginning to move closer to liberal politics and the candidates may feel this change in ideology.

“I believe that the general mood is not satisfied with right-wing conservatives,” she said.

In the past, the Republican stance was to outlaw all types of abortion during all trimesters except in the case of rape, incest or endangerment to the mother, Rutledge said.

She said abortion definitely will be important in the next presidential race.

“This issue is critical since the president appoints Supreme Court justices and positions in hundreds of other lower courts,” she said. “The new president quite literally [will have] the power to determine abortion rights.”

Some opponents to the pro-life stance said candidates are being evasive.

“[The candidates] are trying to deceive the American public and hide their extreme views,” Rutledge said. “We cannot afford to allow a single American to be swayed by this because fundamental rights are at risk.”

Although the Republicans still have time to make abortion a more prominent issue in their campaign, Thomas suggested voters do their own research to be confident on the GOP stance.

“Dole and Bush have made anti-abortion statements prior to testing the waters as presidential candidates,” Thomas said. “I think the public needs to be on guard and do some research prior to the elections, instead of just listening to the fallible double talk.”

Hinrichs said voters already are educated enough to know the typical partisan views on abortion.

“I would guess, in the absence of more information, voters will know that the party is historically opposed to abortion and maintain that assumption,” she said.