DENVER – A national group of abortion opponents endorsed Republican U.S. Senate candidate Darryl Glenn on Tuesday, days after a state group said recent comments by the candidate on the subject were problematic.

National Right to Life, which has an affiliate in Colorado, Colorado Citizens for Life, said it is confident that Glenn would carry the torch for anti-abortion issues, if elected.

Glenn has described himself as an “unapologetic Christian pro-life” candidate.

He is facing off against Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet, a staunch supporter of abortion rights.

“Darryl Glenn will vote pro-life. He is challenging someone who has never voted pro-life,” said Karen Cross, political director for National Right to Life.

The endorsement puts the national group of abortion opponents at odds with Colorado Right to Life, which told The Durango Herald this week that recent comments by Glenn have raised a red flag for them.

In the July 15 comment by Glenn on Jon Caldara’s Colorado Public Television show, “Devil’s Advocate,” Glenn was asked about personhood, an effort to assign rights to the unborn to ban abortion.

“As a person who has two adult daughters, I put myself in that situation ... And at some point in time, maybe they might have to make that decision. But that is a personal decision that they have to make between them and ... God,” Glenn said.

Colorado Right to Life responded, “With Darryl Glenn, we are hoping to speak with him very soon ... Until we do that, we do have a problem with his comments.”

The state group – which circulates candidate surveys that are valued in local abortion opposition circles – said Glenn responded favorably to the survey. But the group fears that Glenn may be walking back his stance to compete in the general election, suggesting that “pro-life has come to mean anything.”

Cross, however, said National Right to Life is positive that Glenn would support a platform in the Senate to oppose abortion. She shrugged off opinions that “pro-life has come to mean anything.”

“Darryl Glenn has been thoroughly vetted on this,” Cross said. “He may not eloquently talk about it, but he is pro-life.”

pmarcus@durangoherald.com

This story has been updated to correct who was speaking for National Right to Life. An earlier version had the spokewoman’s name, but the interview was with the political director.