As a seven-way debate on Monday drew near in the contentious race to be New York's next governor, Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republican Carl Paladino studied and rehearsed for the televised forum.
Meanwhile their surrogates continued to snipe away. Cuomo's campaign released a new TV ad claiming that Paladino would take away rights and that victims of rape and incest would be denied abortions that are now legal.
Paladino has said he personally opposes abortion as a Catholic. He has said that he would advocate against abortion, but changing abortion laws is not a legislative priority. He said abortion isn't an issue in the campaign but is a way for Democrats to energize their base.
Abortion rights in New York are protected by a supermajority in the Democrat-led Assembly.
