Senate Hopefuls Focus on Abortion : Campaign: Three candidates seeking the 31st District seat compare their differences and similarities on the issue of reproductive rights.

In their only meeting of a hard-fought campaign, three candidates seeking to replace state Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights) discussed their stances Thursday on the politically hot topic of abortion.

During a call-in show on cable television, all three candidates said they support abortion in the event of rape or incest or to save the life of the mother. They differed on whether minors should be required to receive parental consent for abortions and whether laws should prohibit abortions for other reasons.

Democrat Janice Graham, whose support for abortion rights has been a major issue in her campaign, said she favors a woman’s right to choose abortion in almost any circumstance. She hesitated, however, about supporting abortion as a means of choosing the sex of a baby.

Graham also said she supports the distribution of RU-486, a pill developed in France that can induce abortion without surgery. And she described her experience with abortion to save a life.

“When my mother was giving birth to me, the doctors came out and said to my father, ‘Which one do you want?’ because they couldn’t save us both,” Graham said. “My father said he wanted his wife. He made the right choice, but fortunately for me the doctors were able to save us both.”

Assemblyman Frank Hill (R-Whittier), the front-runner in the April 10 election, said he supported abortion in the cases of incest and rape and also to save the life of the mother. He is opposed to abortion in other cases and supports a requirement that juveniles be required to receive parental consent before getting an abortion.

“I support abortion for very limited circumstances,” Hill said.

Robert Lewis, a candidate from the American Independent Party, said he supports abortion rights and believes that existing laws are adequate. He said, however, that he is opposed to abortion in the case of sex selection or after the first trimester.

“I don’t like the government getting anywhere near my family’s matters,” Lewis said.

The three candidates are the winners of a Feb. 6 primary to represent the 31st state Senate District. The predominantly Republican district straddles the border between Orange and Los Angeles counties stretching from West Covina and Whittier in the north to Laguna Beach in the south.

Thursday was also the deadline for the candidates to file their last financial disclosure statements before the election.

Graham reported that she has raised a total of $28,456 during the campaign and now has a small debt. Hill reported that his campaign has raised $525,981 since the race began late last December.