Rick Snyder is not prolife - why is Jerry Zandstra endorsing him?

On Friday, the Grand Rapids Press ran a print story (here’s the online version) about how Jerry Zandstra, the chairman/president of the Pro-Life Federation of Michigan has endorsed Rick Snyder for the GOP nomination for governor of Michigan.

The problem?

Rick Snyder isn’t prolife while all the other announced candidates (Attorney General Mike Cox, Congressman Peter Hoekstra, and Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard) are. Back in July, the Detroit News noted how Snyder voted in favor of Proposal 2 in 2008. Proposal 2 was a constitutional amendment to legalize the killing of human embryos for research.

After Rick Snyder announced his run in March, RightMichigan pointed out how Snyder gave money to the organization behind the proposal to kill human embryos in Michigan. Here’s the late contribution report which shows that Snyder gave $2,000 to Cure Michigan, the ballot question committee behind the successful effort to legalize the killing of human embryos for research.

In response, John Yob (who is running Snyder’s campaign and ran Zandstra failed campaign for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in 2006) arranged for Zandstra to conduct a softball interview with Snyder whose only question on life issues was asked and answered as follows:

Where are you on abortion?

I am a pro-life, pro-family Republican. It is unfortunate there isn't consensus on this issue, but I understand the strong emotional argument on both sides. What there must be consensus on however is a commitment on the quality of life we offer Michigan children and to future generations: A great education; good and plentiful jobs; safe and vibrant communities; and a clean environment.

Notice the complete lack of any question regarding Snyder position on killing human embryos for research. Or any question following up what Snyder means when he's says he's "pro-life." Does that mean he's personally prolife or politically prolife?

So the real question is: why in the world is someone who created his own prolife organization endorsing the only candidate in the race who isn’t prolife? Why is Zandstra acting like Snyder is prolife when there is conclusive evidence to the contrary? Why when given the opportunity to question Snyder about his position on killing human embryos for research did Zandstra pass?

If Rick Snyder is in favor of killing human embryos for research (which seems obvious because he voted for and gave money to a constitutional amendment to change Michigan’s prolife law which protected human embryos from being killed for experimentation) then he wouldn’t pass the first question in the Pro-Life Federation of Michigan’s certification survey which asks,

1. Do you believe that human life begins at conception and that unborn children should be extended rights as persons under the United States Constitution?

If Jerry Zandstra wants to endorse Rick Snyder for governor that’s his right. However, he shouldn’t be using his position in the prolife organization he created to trick prolifers into thinking Rick Snyder is prolife.