Anti-abortion and abortion rights activists protest in the course of the fiftieth annual March for Life rally in entrance of the US Supreme Courtroom on January 20, 2023 in Washington, D.C.
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures
Anti-abortion and abortion rights activists protest in the course of the fiftieth annual March for Life rally in entrance of the US Supreme Courtroom on January 20, 2023 in Washington, D.C.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures
There may be maybe no subject extra thorny for Republican candidates within the 2024 presidential primaries than abortion.
Republican leaders broadly cheered the 2022 Supreme Courtroom choice overturning Roe v. Wade, Dobbs v. Girls’s Well being Jackson. However since then, they’ve discovered that over-restricting abortion could be a political legal responsibility.
the Dobbs The choice and subsequent state-level legal guidelines proscribing entry to abortion galvanized voters who help abortion rights. Each poll measure within the state on abortion rights since Dobbs He has come out in favor of abortion rights, even in crimson states like Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio. Moreover, GOP opposition to abortion rights has been blamed for Republicans’ poor efficiency within the 2022 midterms, and final week’s state elections in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio.
Consequently, Republican presidential candidates are attempting to strike a stability: tips on how to enchantment to a celebration base that, to various levels, opposes abortion rights, with out alienating moderates, independents and basic election voters who favor fewer restrictions. The consequence has been many basic statements about “defending life,” with out a lot element about precisely what restrictions the candidates favor.
For instance, former President Donald Trump, the main Republican candidate, dodged the query of whether or not he helps a federal abortion ban, not to mention what sort of being pregnant limits he may help.
In the meantime, Democrats see defending abortion rights not solely as an ethical crucial however as a approach to get voters to the polls in 2024. Abortion rights advocates are engaged on measures to guard entry to the process. On the ballot in 2024 In a number of swing states, within the hope of energizing voters.
President Biden has by no means been an ardent campaigner for abortion rights. However since DobbsHe was extra keen to marketing campaign on the difficulty. As we mentioned, this has been a successful subject for Democrats. The query is how a lot it can proceed to enchantment to voters in 2024, and to what diploma different points — reminiscent of issues concerning the financial system, the age of the candidate, or international conflicts — dominate the dialog.
This text initially appeared within the NPR Politics publication. Subscribe to the publication right here For early entry and extra protection of the most important problems with 2024.
The place do the Republican Occasion candidates stand?
One of many greatest questions going through GOP presidential candidates is whether or not they’ll help a federal abortion ban. Additionally they offered a variety of solutions about what load limits, if any, they help. NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben has this abstract of her positions.
In numbers
61% of People They are saying they principally help abortion rights, in comparison with 37% who say they principally oppose, in line with an April NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist ballot.
Whereas help for abortion rights is way greater amongst Democratic voters:
- 72% of Republicans Assist permitting abortion at any time throughout being pregnant to avoid wasting the pregnant lady’s life
- 55% of Republicans P.c help exceptions for rape and incest at any time throughout being pregnant
- And solely 42% of Republicans Assist a six-week ban, like these which were proposed and handed in a number of GOP-controlled states since. Dobbs