Rep. Randy Neugebauer follows apology for ‘baby killer’ outburst with campaign ad

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Rep. Randy Neugebauer, who apologized to a fellow House member for shouting “baby killer” during debate on the healthcare bill, is running a campaign ad vowing to continue speaking out against abortion.

“You know what, I am never going to quit speaking on behalf of the unborn,” the Texas Republican, flanked by his wife, says in the 80-second video posted on his campaign website.

“I will continue to speak with the same passion that I spoke last night, maybe in a little bit different forum, but still with the same intensity,” he says. The video runs above a box that says “donate today.”

Neugebauer, during the often-raucous debate leading up to passage of the healthcare overhaul bill Sunday night, yelled out “baby killer” while antiabortion Democrat Bart Stupak of Michigan was speaking.

Just hours before the vote, Stupak reached an agreement with the White House under which President Obama would issue an executive order confirming that the legislation would not allow federal funding of abortion. With that, Stupak and other antiabortion Democrats voted for the bill, sealing its passage.
Neugebauer apologized to Stupak, saying he was attacking the agreement reached with the White House and not Stupak personally.

Neugebauer’s office did not immediately comment on response to the video message, but a similar outburst by fellow House Republican Joe Wilson of South Carolina last year paid dividends.

Wilson — who, like Neugebauer, was relatively unknown before he shouted out “you lie” last September during an Obama speech to Congress on healthcare — raised $1.5 million in the week after the incident; his likely opponent in November received a similar amount. Wilson also became a favorite guest at fundraisers for other Republicans and appeared in national GOP fundraising efforts.

-- Associated Press