Samm Simpson's Democratic campaign for Congressional District 10, which includes most of Pinellas County, heard from confused readers about a St. Petersburg Times story published this weekend.

They were asking about her position on abortion. The story said, "Simpson says she supports legal abortion but believes life begins at
conception and supports policy like sex education that might reduce the
number of abortions."

To clarify, here's how she describes her position as e-mailed to a Times reporter: "Simpson says abortion should remain safe, legal and rare - she would
like to expand adoption, sex education and improve women's economic
opportunities to help reduce the need for abortion as a form of birth
control."

Also from her Web site: "There is a profound disconnect in our nation about this topic, with
camps touting pro life or pro choice. Since Roe V. Wade was passed in
1973, the number of abortions performed in the United States ranges
from 40 - 46 million. That is not a misprint. There is a Hebrew word
for womb pronounced raw-kham that means "have compassion on, have,
obtain or show mercy." Tragically, we have become numb to the overall
effects of these actions on our culture at large. I believe life begins
at conception and would never counsel a woman to have an abortion. At
the same time I recognize that the majority of Americans say that
abortion should remain legal - and utilized in only rare instances. So
let's work on making it rare. And that comes from the ground up, not
top down. Creating a society where hope and opportunity exist. Where
our teens are engaged in civic discourse on how they can serve
community and nation. Let's create laws with the effects upon our
children as the highest priority. Let's provide sexual education and
birth control in schools- not just abstinence. Let's create increased
economic and educational opportunities for women. And let's make
adoption affordable and viable. Abortion should remain safe, legal and
become more and more rare."

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer