By Bill McMorris     Illinois Statehouse News

CHICAGO — A coalition of pro-choice and women’s groups on Tuesday took aim at Republican Bill Brady’s bid for the governor’s mansion, blasting the Bloomington senator for his social conservatism.

Beth Kanter with Illinois Planned Parenthood’s politcal action committee and several other activist groups gathered in Chicago to declare Brady “anti-woman,” vowing to support Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

 “Over 17 years in Springfield, Bill Brady has amassed quite a scary record,” Kanter said. “And in his run for governor,  Bill Brady is not backing down in his extreme positions against women.”

Kanter was joined onstage by representatives from the National Organization of Women, Personal PAC, Citizen Action, and a supporter of stem-cell research. She said she and other activists scrutinized Brady’s Senate record and campaign questionnaires in formulating their opinion of him as a gubernatorial candidate.

Kanter cited Brady’s opposition to abortion rights, noting his response to an Illinois Federation for Right to Life questionnaire.  

“Sen. Brady has said he would sign a law banning abortion except to save the life of a woman,” she said. “That means if a woman is raped or the victim of incest, she would not be allowed to get an abortion.”

Brady could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, but he has said in the past that he stands by his pro-life views, which he says are rooted in his Catholic faith.  Last month, Brady proposed a ban on gay marriage, prompting some political observers to label him as too conservative. Quinn’s campaign issued a press release on Friday after Brady’s primary victory became official, condemning his “extreme positions.”

Brady has held true to his conservatism, trying to deflect criticism of his social views by focusing on the economy. 

“I am what I am,” he told reporters on Friday when asked if he was too conservative for Illinois. “But the people of Illinois are starving for a candidate who will focus on jobs, focus on the economy and who will make government work for the people — this campaign is about jobs, jobs, jobs and reform, reform, reform.”

Both Kanter and Quinn’s press release noted Brady’s opposition to a series of 2003 laws that mandated insurance coverage for pap smears, mammograms and contraceptives. His resistance to equal pay laws for men and women has also added fuel to the fire.