Republican presidential candidates vary in the details of their abortion positions, despite significant pressure from influential anti-abortion organizations to make certain policy commitments.
While all the major Republican presidential candidates self-describe as pro-life, on several occasions they have backtracked or provided unclear answers as to whether there is a role for federal policy on abortion, and they haven't all been forthcoming about what that federal role is.
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Former President Donald Trump, leading the 2024 GOP field by a double-digit margin, most recently claimed that a six-week limitation on abortion in Florida was a "mistake" and a "terrible thing." In a speech prior, he also said that politicians aren't skilled at discussing an issue as delicate as abortion. He emphasized in both appearances that if he is elected, he will negotiate with both sides and come to a deal that works for everyone.
Trump has further been unwilling to commit to signing a 15-week limit on abortion, which is a standard that top anti-abortion organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America has urged candidates to adopt.
Asked about candidates backing off of their messaging, SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement, "Democrats have already said that they will make abortion a top issue in 2024. Republicans need to speak with clarity and specificity on what pro-life protections they support."
She pointed to polling that shows most voters supporting a limit of at least 15 weeks on abortion. "Republicans need to stand firm in serving mothers and protecting the most innocent among us," she explained.
"And when they do, they see great success," she added, pointing to governors who saw success after pursuing anti-abortion measures such as Govs. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Greg Abbott (R-TX), and Brian Kemp (R-GA).
"We urge all GOP candidates to provide compassionate clarity to the American people on how they will support mothers and their babies," Dannenfelser said.
However, "Donald Trump is right that Republicans don't know how to talk about it and that it's a complex issue," according to GOP strategist Douglas Heye.
He explained that after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, "there wasn't a plan for the dog actually catching the car bumper."
Heye said that the relative lack of clarity from candidates is because "they're trying to find out where is the good place to be — that protects life but that also is going to be defined by, not Democrats and liberal activists, but by independent voters who haven't really thought about this issue before and get scared at things that some states may be doing."
The 2024 presidential election will be the first since Roe v. Wade's reversal, which occurred in the summer of 2022, months before the midterm elections. While many have speculated, there isn't a clear understanding of what role abortion will play in the presidential contest.
The Democratic National Committee and President Joe Biden's campaign, though, are banking on abortion being the deciding issue in 2024, homing in on the Republicans' "extremist" agenda to ban abortion.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has been outspoken about the Republican Party's failures when it comes to messaging on abortion, and consistently emphasizes the role suburban women will play in future electoral contests. “Our goal is to save as many unborn lives as possible and show women we care. We accomplish this by winning elections, not losing them," she said in a statement. To her, this means the Republican stance on the issue must be one supported by the people.
"Over the past few months I have provided a roadmap to win back suburban women, who will be crucial to any candidate winning the White House in 2024," she explained. "It’s encouraging to see others in the presidential race follow our lead."
"Nikki [Haley] had an incredibly strong pro-life record as governor, and President Trump was the most pro-life president in history," the South Carolina Republican emphasized. "Attacking them for their position post-Roe, which a majority of Americans share, is not how we win, not how we show women we care, and not how we save innocent lives.”
Both former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Trump have faced scrutiny from anti-abortion advocacy organizations for what's been viewed as backtracking or moderation on their abortion stances.
When Haley has been prompted on the issue, she's explained her personal anti-abortion position but claimed that "consensus" needs to be sought. She has explained that Republicans wouldn't be able to pass anti-abortion measures through the Senate alone and would need to seek support from Democratic colleagues.
SBA Pro-Life America previously indicated that this call for consensus rather than stating her stance on abortion without qualifying it is hypocritical. The group pointed out that Republicans support a variety of stances that wouldn't garner the necessary support in Congress to pass, but they support them nonetheless.
Throughout the campaign season, the organization has issued statements against remarks by candidates such as DeSantis, Haley, Trump, and others who strayed from promising a 15-week abortion limit without qualifying it.
Heye noted that 15 weeks is a position that most voters agreed with in the 1992 election. But, "the issue has been sort of redefined almost overnight, because of the Dobbs decision. Republicans are trying to figure out how politically can they get to that place? It's not clear."
Following Trump's latest remarks, SBA didn't come out with a statement. President Marjorie Dannenfelser did respond to his claim on X, not necessarily criticizing the former president but noting, "The Dobbs decision was the beginning of a new era for life. 7 in 10 of Donald Trump's supporters in Iowa support a 6-week heartbeat bill to protect babies in the womb."
According to Republican strategist David Kochel, SBA looks "weak and hypocritical."
"They have no hesitation attacking any other Republican who strays from the pro-life line until Trump does it," he said, adding that "he’s trashing heartbeat bills they supported."
"Why are they so afraid of Trump that they can’t go after him when he transgresses? The truth is, nobody wants to admit that Trump is really pro-choice. He never cared about this issue. He made his deal with conservatives on judges and followed through. But he never believed any of it," Kochel said.
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Notably, SBA hasn't issued a statement condemning Trump's abortion stance since April, when it slammed his claim that the issue should be decided by states. Afterward, Trump met with Dannenfelser, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.
Criticism ultimately subsided, and later in the summer, Trump agreed that a federal role in abortion policy existed.