Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) announced today its endorsement for Chip Cravaack in the state’s 8th Congressional District. MCCL has traditionally supported 35-year incumbent Congressman Jim Oberstar and this marks the first time the MCCL has endorsed his challenger. Oberstar voted for the health care bill (HR 3962) that includes federal funding for abortions.

“Congressman Oberstar’s actions were a knife in the back to the pro-life values of the 8th district,” said Cravaack, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and 24-year veteran. “Congressman Oberstar’s vote for ObamaCare is politics at its worst. He chose to stand with Speaker Nancy Pelosi instead of Minnesotans in the 8th district. His values have changed, but ours haven’t, and that’s why Minnesotans are ready for a change in Congress in the 8th district.”

Before voting for Obamacare, Congressman Oberstar said he would not vote for a bill that did not include pro-life language. Legislation that would have prohibited taxpayer funded abortions was removed from the final bill, but Oberstar broke his promise and voted for Obamacare. He persuaded pro-life Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for final passage of the healthcare bill.

“Jim Oberstar has turned away from the pro-life principles he used to hold in common with the citizens of the 8th District,” Fischbach said. “He has walked away from the pro-life movement. For years Jim Oberstar has had a 100 percent pro-life voting record and now he has a zero percent pro-life voting record. Just as Jim Oberstar has abandoned the babies, it is time for the voters to retire Jim Oberstar.”

Last week, a poll showed Cravaack within 3 points of the incumbent Oberstar, a strong position going into the final stretch of the race. The poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, a national firm who also does polling for the Wall Street Journal and NBC News.

Cravaack is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve for 24 years during which he served at the Pentagon and NATO. After retiring from the Navy, he flew commercially for Northwest Airlines and served as a union representative for the Air Line Pilots Association. Cravaack lives with his wife and two young sons in Lindstrom and was president of the local Parent Teacher Organization.