Former female governors mixed over Palin

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- A survey of former U.S. female governors indicates divided support for Republican Party vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Those currently serving as governor either declined or didn't respond to multiple interview requests, Politico reported.

In interviews with the former governors who agreed to speak on the record, the subject of Palin drew mixed emotions, with opinions sharply divided along partisan lines.

Republicans defended Palin and touted her as a step forward for women. Democrats questioned whether Palin was qualified enough and whether her selection represented a cynical political gambit.

One major item is the issue of abortion, the survey said, a topic that puts a charge into the work of many politically oriented women's groups, Politico said.

As former Democratic Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts put it: "We would love to have a woman be on a ticket. But. I think for many, many women across the nation, a severely anti-choice woman is not the woman we had hoped for."