Incumbent state Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer (D) received endorsements from the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortions and Planned Parenthood Thursday.

Both organizations claim Oppenheimer?s opponent in the 37th District, Republican Liz Feld, has refused to state her position on the subject of abortion. According to representatives of the WCLA, Feld never filled out their questionnaire on the subject, and they say a non-answer means she cannot be trusted to support the right to choose.

?Choice is not an issue that you choose to avoid, not in this county,? says WCLA President C. Lederer.

Feld says she supports the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, and if elected state senator, she pledges to protect a woman?s right to choose.

The candidate adds, however, that she does not extend her support to late-term abortions. With regards to the WCLA's questionnaire, Feld says she prefers to answer directly rather than fill out a survey.

?I'm happy to answer any question on the issue,? she says. ?I think the voters have a right to know and should know, and I'm happy to talk about it at any opportunity.?

Oppenheimer says the threat that a conservative Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade means that individual state governments must be ready to step up and defend that right to choose.

?We want to make sure that New York State residents and residents that want to come here will have this option of an abortion, if they choose it,? Oppenheimer says.

A recent Siena College poll showed Oppenheimer is in the lead with 61 percent, compared to Feld's 24 percent.

For more on Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion endorsing state Sen. Oppenheimer, go to your digital cable box and select iO Extra, Channel 612.