Richard Mourdock — who has been roundly criticized for saying at a debate in mid-October that “even if life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen” — on Sunday received some substantial last-minute support from an Indianan who supports his pro-life position.
Daryle Doden, a Ft. Wayne philanthropist, has taken out a full page ad in the Sunday edition of 12 Indiana newspapers encouraging voters to “Vote morally on Tuesday.”
Those 12 newspapers have a combined circulation of just under 850,000 households. (RELATED: Poll shows Mourdock trailing by 11 points in Indiana Senate race)
“Mr. Mourdock, with courage and compassion, reminded us that. … We are a moral people. Two wrongs do not make a right. Each life is sacred,” says the ad.
“If an unborn life has no value, then neither your life nor mine has value,” the ad goes on. “We the people should support those candidates for office who declare they will serve to protect and preserve these God-given rights, chief among them the right to life.”
“Thank you Mr. Mourdock,” is the conclusion of the ad, which is signed by Doden.
Doden bought the full-page ad because “he was very distressed with the way the U.S. Senate debate was covered — especially Mr. Morudock’s pro-life position,” explained Curt Smith, President of the Indiana Family Institute and a friend of Doden.
Smith said he advised the philanthropist what he could do to get involved in the race.
Doden was upset by “not so much what Mr. Mourdock said, but the way the media covered it and how the [Donnelly] campaign spun it,” Smith explained.
Democrats have used Mourdock’s “rape” comment, which came in his final debate with Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly, in numerous ads to suggest the candidate feels rape is part of God’s plan.
Mourdock later clarified that he believes God does not condone rape, which he said is “evil.”
Smith, a former newspaperman, suggested Doden could make a statement by buying newspaper ads on the Sunday before Election Day.
“He wanted to make people think,” Smith said. “He wanted to do something that would support a candidate with moral courage and character, and that, of course, is Mr. Mourdock in his mind. And as a person of faith who’s very willing to talk about it, he thinks it’s important to take a stand for righteousness in culture.”
The ad is running in newspapers that circulate in all parts of the state, including the Indianapolis Star.
The buy is an independent expenditure that Smith said was in the “low six figures.”