However, why would Naral choose a pro-choice Republican over a pro-choice Democrat when the Democratic party supports the right to choose and the republican party does not?

It would seem to me that if all things are equal Naral should always support the Democrat - it only makes sense.

Just a few reasons off the top of my head

Either way, settling for Casey is not a huge step down. Bob Casey is a blue-collar, populist Democrat, the kind we're trying to get more of in Washington. Yah, he's socially conservative, but he's not going to whore out to corporations and fuck over unions like the DLC. He may not be perfect for a lot of you, but he's damn good, and he can win in a socially center-right, economically center-left state like Pennsylvania. Remember, his job is to represent Pennsylvanians...he can't exactly come out as a bleeding-heart liberal on all fronts and maintain his popularity.

This is obviously the degenerate form of the approach kos recommends.

I think this issue is really simple.  NARAL exists to promote reproductive rights.  Democrats exist to get elected.  Democrats' defense of reproductive rights has been increasingly erratic and inconsistent.

In short, the theory that regaining a Democratic majority will safeguard women's health issues requires a fount of optimism I lack, along with NARAL apparently.  Especially so if those Senators and Congresspeople we help to elect, whose incumbency often guarantees a long tenure, are anti-choice to begin with.

Here's an example of what kos' partisan prescription may get us on this issue: a 55-45 majority in the Senate for Democrats, but a 40-60 minority for women's health issues.  I'll take that over the current situation, but I don't see why NARAL should.

NARAL with this post almost deliberately seem to be trying to divide people.  Not that people aren't divided already, but telling people that "certain websites" are promoting the idea of giving up choice, and citing Atrios and Kos as examples, is disingenuous at best, and flat out false at worst.  They should know better.  Why don't they?  Kos and Atrios are NOT what NARAL should be targeting themselves against, what a fucking foolish strategy.  For CHRISTS sake there really are people who are working in a coordinated fashion to make choice basically illegel.  Stop them, don't make up some shit about bloggers and then tell people to waste their time freeping the comments.  

Please NARAL, and supporters, for the love of God think for two seconds.  How fucking difficult is it for NARAL to insist that it is not enough for Pro Choice Republicans like Chafee to use "happy words" like "I am Pro Choice." This is a Trojan Horse.

What the Hell does it mean if he claims to be for choice but votes with a caucus that basically hates "Those Uppity Feminists."  

NARAL is heading down a path that will assure it's obsolescence in the near future.  This is taking one issuism to the absurd.

Please Langevin jump back in.  Only when Harry Reid is the Senate majority leader and Nancy Pelosi runs the house will women's choice truly enjoy protection  

I'm not sure we should be expected to break out the party hats when NARAL gives the GOP the hammer to pound us with.

If you actually want to build a progressive movement then endorsing the GOP is a dealbreaker in my mind. I really don't think there's any room for that.

I actually find it quite amazing that people here will write 10 anti-DLC rants a day but give NARAL a pass on this. I have looked pretty hard and the only DLC member that ever endorsed a member of the GOP was St Paul, MN Mayor Randy Kelly (Bush/Cheney) in 2004. Even that was the kiss of death for Kelly's political career.