Actor Fox brings stem-cell issue into Senate race

Plain Dealer

Actor Michael J. Fox, who became famous playing a conservative Republican from Columbus on the 1980s television sitcom "Family Ties," made a homecoming of sorts Monday to show his support for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown - and to plop the issue of embryonic stem cell research into the race.

Brown has not pushed the issue as he tries to oust two-term Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. To DeWine, research on stem cells from embryos involves destroying human life.

By appearing at Ohio State University alongside Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, Brown highlighted one more of his many differences with DeWine. Brown, a seven-term congressman, backs government-supported embryonic stem cell research because he believes it could lead to a cure for Parkinson's and other diseases.

Fox said he is "supporting candidates who support all forms of stem cell research in races where their opponents don't." That includes Democrats in several other states.

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10/31/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, (all tags)