Senate candidates spar on abortion at Right to Life debate

By Joel Davis
of The Daily Times Staff

Both State Rep. Doug Overbey and state Sen. Raymond Finney support an amendment that would remove any protections for the right to an abortion from the state constitution but disagree on how to bring it to a vote.

Both cited the amendment during a short debate sponsored by Blount County Right to Life, held for the 8th Senatorial district candidates, on Thursday evening.

Senate Joint Resolution 127 sought to amend the constitution and overturn a 2000 Tennessee Supreme Court ruling that says a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy is a “fundamental right” under the state’s constitution.

Overbey had continued to vote to bring Senate Joint Resolution 127 to the floor of the House for a vote.

“It was the right thing to do,” Overbey said. “It’s why I am here.”

Finney said that the reason SJR 127 never made it the floor was because of Speaker of the House Jimmy Naifeh, whom he said Overbey had voted for as speaker.

Overbey countered that the Republicans needed to get three more representatives elected to have a majority.

“Once we do that we’ll get SJR 127 to the House floor,” he said.

Overbey is challenging Finney for the Republican nomination for the 8th District seat he holds. The 8th Senatorial district consists of Blount and Sevier counties.

The two were joined by another candidate, Ira T. Lapides of Sevier County.

“Government has no place in this issue,” he said.

Both Finney and Overbey said they believe life begins at conception.

“It is a sacred thing to try to protect that as much as we can,” Finney said. “... We need to do everything we can to get women help to make sure they understand the value of life.”

Finney was first elected to the Senate in 2004 while Overbey has been in the House since 2000.