Healey Touts Pro-Choice Views of Running Mate
       No sooner than Lt. Governor Kerry Healey had gone public with her choice of retired Police Colonel Reed Hillman as a running mate in the gubernatorial race, she was out assuring constituents that he would be solidly pro-choice with respect to abortion. 
       "I have no doubt at all that women can trust Reed Hillman to fight for their rights," Healey said. "He wouldn't be standing here with me if I didn't believe that."
       Abortion rights activists were apparently spooked by Hillman’s nomination based on his voting record as a State Rep. in 2000.   In that year, he voted against a bill establishing protester-free buffer zones outside abortion clinics.  Hillman now explains that he felt the buffer zone law was too narrow, and it should have applied to other possible areas where protests might occur. 
       On other social issues, Hillman is more conservative.  He voted “Yes” on defining marriage as one man and one woman three years ago.  He voted “No” on amending the Constitution to call for universal health care.  He also voted against exemptions for the “English only” policy in the public school system; a policy championed by Healey. 
       Fiscally, he has also typically voted conservatively.  He voted “No” on raising the income tax to 5.95% to offset the budget deficit, and has voted against every budget override that was put in front of him.  MassScorecard.org, which grades legislators on how they correspond to liberal democrat issues, give him an “F”.  In most states, that fact would be worn as a badge of honor.
       Hillman brings a bit more to the table than Healey did to the Romney ticket four years ago.  He has legislative experience (Healey was defeated twice attempting to take a seat on Beacon Hill) and has actual law enforcement experience, whereas Healey has a Ph.d in criminology, but no true hands-on experience.   Despite his “pro-choice” position right now, he is probably the closest thing to a “conservative” in the entire race.  If the typical “pattern” for Massachusetts Governor holds true, if the Healey-Hillman ticket wins, perhaps we can ship Kerry Healey off as an ambassador to some Scandinavian country, and have Hillman in the corner office.