STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As an adoptee, GOP South Shore Assembly candidate Joseph Borelli has strong feelings when it comes to right-to-life issues.
Borelli, 29, today was backed by anti-abortion activist Marietta Canning, chair of the city Right to Life Party.
“Joseph Borelli is 100 percent pro-life and has no exceptions to life,” Ms. Canning said. “He is for the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. He is in favor of traditional marriage and for traditional family values. He meets the Right to Life standards admirably.”
“I was adopted at birth and my mother and father have been in my life since the day I was born,” Borelli said. “I don’t have any desire to meet my biological parents, except that it would be nice to tell them about the wonderful life my mom and dad have provided and that they made a good decision in choosing adoption.”
Borelli, who said he has known all this life that he was adopted, said he was proud of the endorsement from Ms. Canning.
“As an adoptee, I will never forget that my biological mother chose to put me up for adoption rather than the alternative,” he said. “As a result of my personal experience with this issue, I am proud to advocate for pro-life causes and adoption programs throughout the state.”
Even though the Right to Life Party is no longer on the ballot in the state, Borelli, a Huguenot resident, said that the endorsement was important to his campaign.
“The Right to Life Party still has a strong network on Staten Island, and will ensure that their members come out and show support from now until Election Day,” he said.
Borelli has also been endorsed by the Conservative Party. He is opposed by Democratic attorney Anthony Mascolo.
Advance Political Editor Tom Wrobleski writes the Polit Bureau blog. Follow him on Twitter.