Power

‘What If She Had an Abortion?’ Tested as Smear Tactic in South Carolina House Race

A new conservative push poll against Democratic candidate Elizabeth Colbert Busch tries to link her to personal scandal by, among other things, inferring that she may have had an abortion.

The entire scenario relies on the idea that having an abortion is somehow a smear on par with going to jail or being held in contempt of court. Paint brush strokes via Shutterstock

A South Carolina special congressional election that has already become tabloid fodder is taking a step even further into the personal. A new conservative push poll against Democratic candidate Elizabeth Colbert Busch tries to link her to personal scandal by, among other things, inferring that she may have had an abortion.

According to ThinkProgress, multiple Democrats in one district have reported receiving phone calls from market research firm Survey Sampling International, gauging their support for Colbert Busch. The calls ask if voters would continue to support her candidacy if it was discovered that she had previously had an abortion, been in jail, been in contempt of court, or run up a charge account.

Colbert Busch’s Republican rival, former Gov. Mark Sanford, saw his own support erode during the campaign after he was accused of trespassing by his ex-wife. Although Sanford weathered scandal after using state funds to travel to Argentina with a mistress during his term as governor, the return of bad press caused the National Republican Congressional Committee to drop its support for his election bid.

It is not clear what group or groups are behind the Survey Sampling International push poll.