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Secondly, he's someone who has already come out as an opponent of the morning-after pill, which is without question an abortifacient. I don't know how you can say you're pro-life and against abortion if [you support] dispensing abortifacients over the counter without a prescription to anyone above the age of 18 with no limitation on quantity. People can buy as many as they want and sell them to 14-year-olds and 13-year-olds. That would not be a pro-life position in my mind, and I don't think it is in most people's mind. I think there is a difference on the issue of life between my opponent and me, and there's also a difference on a lot of other family issues. He's for civil unions and gay adoption. He's not for a federal constitutional amendment to protect marriage or a state constitutional amendment to protect marriage.

On the campaign trail I know you face the dilemma that people know you as a strong man of faith, yet you're reaching out to a diverse public. How have you handle that in this campaign?

I don't see it as a dilemma at all. I don't know too many people who believe that people of strong faith should not be holding public office. I think most people, whether they're of strong faith or not, are comfortable with people of faith being in positions of public authority. I don't see it as a problem at all. Faith is a very important part of my life, and it certainly has an impact on how I do every aspect of my life, from being a good father and husband to being a good citizen to being a good senator.

What resources do you draw on each day for your faith?

I say to all of your readers that I appreciate their prayers. I can't tell you the number of people throughout the day that come up to me and tell me, ."You're in my prayers. You're in my prayers." It is a wonderful, sustaining gift that people give. I'm grateful and there's no question in my mind, given how hectic my schedule is, that [prayer] has had a powerful effect on my ability to keep up the faith and to be as sharp as I can be. I don't know how sharp that is, but sharp as I can be and of good spirit. So I do have that. I try to take time out every day, either to go to daily mass as a Catholic, to take time for prayer during the day, as well as to just have a little down time to do some spiritual reading of a variety of different sorts.

If the Democrats had control of the Senate, what would be the biggest changes?

I'd obviously be very concerned if the House were to go Democrat. I'd be very concerned about impeachment hearings and a whole bunch of actions that have been threatened to increase the level of partisanship, particularly going after the President.

And with the Senate, I'd obviously be concerned about judicial nominations and the President's ability to get mainstream conservative judges passed with a Democratic United States Senate. I think that would be a huge concern of mine—also our ability to assess and prosecute this conflict. We'd be in jeopardy with the Democrats in control of Congress.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

See also today's article on the Pennsylvania Senate race.

Sen. Rick Santorum and State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr's campaign websites have more information on the candidates.

The New York Times commented on the role of the abortion debate in this race, in an article titled "Senate Campaign Tests Democrats' Abortion Tack."

CBS reports on the second debate between the two candidates.

RealClearPolitics.com has data on current poll standings.

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October (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50