GOP rift brews on stem-cell vote

[kweerwolf]

Missouri’s debate over stem-cell research could reverberate loudly in next year’s U.S. Senate race by splitting the state Republican Party, posing particular risk to GOP Sen. Jim Talent.

Supporters of all kinds of stem-cell research, including Republican-leaning business leaders in Kansas City and St. Louis, hope to get an initiative on next November’s ballot that would prevent Missouri from enacting stricter laws on the research than the federal government would. They fear Missouri could damage efforts to turn their cities into medical research leaders.

Social conservatives have vowed to defeat the proposal, citing the sanctity of human life.

Caught in the middle is Talent. He already faces a tough re-election fight next year against Claire McCaskill, the likely Democratic nominee, in one of the country’s marquee Senate races.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/12928581.htm