Republicans back stem cell research

Don't stop the press just yet. It's not Republican legislators, just Republican voters who say they back embryonic stem cell research. In a national poll of 800 Republican voters, they broke 57-40 in favor. And this is a sample of people who gave President Bush a 90% approval rating.

"Anytime you see a poll like that, that's a strong preference," said Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., the leading supporter of stem cell research. "Members of Congress understand polls. I think the other thing that's important is who takes polls."

In this case, the pollster was David Winston, who also does survey work for GOP leadership organizations in both the House and Senate. AP story.

The numbers in Wisconsin would not be much different, based on statewide polls that have been circulating. But the GOP-controlled legislature, still in touch with its inner wing nuts, passed a ban on giving research and development aid to companies which do embryonic stem cell research.

When it passed a month ago, reasonable Republicans were among those who spoke up loudly.

WisBusiness reported:

Mark Bugher, director of the University Research Park and a former top advisor to Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, said he was frustrated by the Assembly vote. UW-Madison stem cell pioneer Jamie Thomson's new company is in the park, as are many other high-tech companies.

"I'm disappointed by the Assembly action, though I'm not sure how much impact it will have on companies," said Bugher, who was head of the Department of Administration and revenue secretary during Thompson's tenure."This sends a chilling ‘in your face' message to science and research-based companies that they will be treated differently," he said. "And this is from the Republican party, which is allegedly the ‘jobs' party," he said.

Bugher said he believes Assembly Republicans will continue to make gestures catered to appeal to groups that oppose stem cell research. "It's only the beginning, I'm afraid," he said.

Bugher said Thompson was a conservative Republican who was a strong backer of stem cell research because he saw its potential for discovering disease therapies."He welcomed the potential for the science and for the economic development potential," Bugher said. "And he was not intimidated by the right to life groups." The WisBiz story.