 Erickson denied the charges, stating that he drove a former girlfriend named Tawnya to a doctor's appointment and gave her $300, but did not know she was pregnant or had an abortion.In June, "The Oregonian" published a story based on claims from the woman herself, in which she described the event in more detail.Despite the controversy, Erickson won the Republican nomination, but Mannix refused to endorse him in the general election, as did Oregon Right to Life.