Pro-choice advocates say state Sen. Ellen Roberts’ votes in the state legislature this year undermined her claims of supporting abortion rights in Colorado.

State Sen. Ellen Roberts says there should be no "litmus test" in determining if lawmakers are pro-choice.

Colorado state capitol via Shutterstock

Colorado Republican Sen. Ellen Roberts, who says she supports abortion rights but backed a so-called fetal personhood law, told the Durango Herald Monday that she’s considering a 2016 run against pro-choice U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.

Pro-choice advocates say Roberts’ votes in the state legislature this year undermined her claims of supporting abortion rights in Colorado.

Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado last week included Roberts, who represents the southwestern corner of Colorado around Durango, on the group’s “Colorado Women’s Health Wall of Shame” website.

“In past years, Roberts has voted pro-equality and pro-choice, but had a rocky session on women’s health this year,” states the website, adding that Roberts’ “priorities and values took a significant turn this session, helping her make our list as the Worst of the Western Slope.”

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The website points to Roberts’ sponsorship of failed fetal “personhood” legislation, introduced after a nightmarish attack on a pregnant woman in a Denver suburb. The bill, modeled on legislation pushed by a national anti-choice group, would have given legal standing to zygotes and fetuses, allowing the courts to consider them victims of crimes, including murder.

The bill was defeated in the Democratic-led state house.

“Colorado has a longstanding, mainstream belief that politicians should stay out of our personal, private medical decisions, but given her recent words and actions we don’t think Sen. Roberts can be trusted to stand up for Colorado voters and values on reproductive rights,” Karen Middleton, director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, said to RH Reality Check, citing the unsuccessful personhood push.

Cathy Alderman, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado, said supporting fetal “personhood” legislation and being pro-choice are mutually exclusive.

Roberts still considers herself pro-choice.

“It’s disappointing to me when a group decides to divide women from each other,” Roberts told the Durango Herald this week. “When they apply their litmus test, if someone doesn’t pass their litmus test, does that mean I don’t care about women’s health? That’s untenable.”

“I do think it’s important to be vigilant and caring about the advancement of women in society in general,” she added. “But if we want to talk about erosion, I would say it’s eroding credibility to try to insist that everybody is going to think in one monolithic way.”

Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado’s Wall of Shame website also cited Roberts’ 2015 vote for so-called Parent’s Bill of Rights legislation, which would have affirmed parents’ rights to opt out of vaccination requirements. She also sponsored a bill loosening laws against discrimination.

Roberts voted against Colorado’s much-publicized teen pregnancy prevention program, when Democrats attempted a last-minute floor vote to fund it via an amendment to the state budget bill. Colorado’s GOP legislators proved successful in ending the lauded program.

Roberts, in her interview with the Herald, described the prospects of her potential bid as a “longshot,” in part because her previous support for civil unions and pro-choice measures. Republican primary voters in Colorado have a track record of throwing their support behind more ideologically conservative candidates.

State observers say her candidacy could be attractive to establishment Republicans who deem her appealing to general-election voters.

Bennet, who won election to the U.S. Senate in 2014, is regarded as a formidable opponent, in part because of his strong fundraising skills, honed as chair of the powerful Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

His seat is nonetheless seen by Republicans as one of their few possible pickups for 2016. Others mentioned as possibly seeking the seat are Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Cortez), Rep. Mike Coffman (D-Aurora), and state Attorney General Cynthia Coffman.