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EMILY’s List Ranks 2012 Republican Candidates

EMILY’s List today released its first-ever presidential scorecard, a look at how the GOP candidates rank on issues of importance to its membership.

Not surprisingly, the campaign organization that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights judged the Republicans’ stances on Democratic-supported measures. For example, the candidates were dinged for opposing President Barack Obama’s health care law or his jobs act or for opposing funding for Planned Parenthood. They were ranked on their support for Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s budget overhauling Medicare and their positions on equal pay legislation, family and medical leave legislation or the Equal Rights Amendment.

EMILY’s List also evaluated the candidates’ stances on unemployment benefits and the minimum wage.

The group affixed the “worst” label to former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.). From worst-to-best in the rest of the pack were Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Ron Paul (Texas), former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. Texas Gov. Rick Perry ranked the highest.

“On each issue, candidates were given strikes for their rhetoric, actions and consistency,” the site reads. “Women voters are key to any candidate hoping to win in November 2012, and we want to make sure that voters know the truth about the Republican candidates. We encourage voters to learn more about the candidates’ records and to explore how their views would impact their home states.”

EMILY’s List will spend some money on Web ads in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina and will update the scorecard throughout the 2012 campaign.

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