By Blake Aued
blake.aued@onlineathens.com
A prominent anti-abortion group has endorsed every major Republican running for governor -- except one.
Georgia Right to Life singled out former Secretary of State Karen Handel, the only female candidate, for criticism when it released its list of endorsements Thursday.
"Ms. Handel proclaims herself pro-life; however, she does not meet the 21st century demands of being pro-life," Georgia Right to Life President Dan Becker wrote on the group's blog.
"For instance, Handel believes that a child may be aborted based on its manner of conception," Becker wrote.
"When I asked her directly her thoughts on the value of embryos, she answered that she does not believe that an embryonic human is a child."
Becker made up that quote, according to Handel.
"I believe that life does indeed begin at conception, that an embryo is a life, and that an unborn child is a human life," she said in a written statement.
"While I oppose all abortions, I believe that, in addition to GRTL's exception for life of the mother, there should also be exceptions for rape and incest."
GRTL also wants to restrict in vitro fertilization -- a procedure allowing women who are having trouble conceiving to become pregnant -- because the process involves creating extra embryos and destroying them.
The state legislature considered such a bill last year, but it stalled.
Handel said she wants to keep in vitro fertilization legal because she and her husband, Steve, tried for 10 years to have children but failed.
"Tens of thousands of couples have been able to have children through fertility assistance," she said. "Their lives have been blessed by the miracle of birth and enriched by the blessings that children uniquely have added to their lives."
GRTL asks candidates to sign a pledge affirming their belief "in the Personhood of all human beings from fertilization to natural death and the attendant need for a Personhood Amendment to our state Constitution."
Handel did not sign the pledge because the reference to "natural death" conflicts with her support for the death penalty, she said.
The five Republican candidates GRTL endorsed are state Sen. Jeff Chapman, former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, former state Sen. Eric Johnson, Ray McBerry and Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine.
The group did not endorse any Democrats.