Democrats attack GOP U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson for changing views on abortion

Democrats stepped up their attack Thursday against Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson on the issue of abortion.

The Delafield businessman and former U.S. Marine said he is "strongly pro-life," but 17 years ago as president of the College Democrats of America he spoke in support of a "woman's right to choose."

"In short, Kevin is politically expedient and will say anything it takes to get elected. This is the worst kind of politician, being just ambitious and flip, willing to change his mind on key moral issues for political expediency," said Alexandra Acker-Lyons, who was vice president of the College Democrats when Nicholson led the group.

She added that the College Democrats endorsed a woman's right to choose in its platform, which Nicholson was involved with.

"Kevin never offered an amendment counter to that platform position," said Acker-Lyons, a California-based liberal operative. She was speaking on a telephone news conference organized by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Nicholson is the only announced Republican in the race to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin next year.

He has sought to confront head on his past affiliation with the Democratic Party and said his perspective has changed through his life experience.

Nicholson spoke at the 2000 Democratic National Convention, where he supported a woman's right to choose. He also faxed a letter on June 28, 2000, to EMILY's List, praised the group's work and said there was "great potential for a strong partnership."

EMILY's List seeks to raise money for female candidates who support abortion rights.

Michael Antonopoulos, a Nicholson spokesman, said: "This is the third time Democrats have recycled this phony attack, and it proves that they are terrified to run against Kevin, a conservative outsider and Marine veteran, who is strongly pro-life because of his experience as a father of three, and his experience in combat during which he witnessed the destruction of innocent life. After removing the pro-abortion Tammy Baldwin from the Senate, Kevin will fight tirelessly for our nation's unborn."