Anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America issued a statement in the aftermath of the GOP debate in Milwaukee on Wednesday, the first debate of the 2024 election cycle.
"Tonight’s Republican presidential debate made it clear who is and is not prepared to be a National Defender of Life," SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said. "Some were bold in sharing the plight of the unborn in half the country where brutal late-term abortions continue at any point in pregnancy for any reason."
UP FOR DEBATE: WHERE TRUMP, DESANTIS, AND REST OF REPUBLICAN 2024 FIELD STAND ON KEY ISSUES
Dannenfelser lambasted Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), who said on the debate stage that he would not support any national-level legislation and cited the 10th amendment, which leaves all issues not enumerated in the Constitution to the states.
"The position taken by candidates like Doug Burgum, that life is solely a matter for the states, is unacceptable for a nation founded on unalienable rights and for a presidential contender," Dannenfelser said.
SBA President @MarjorieSBA details where Republican candidates must stand on abortion to earn the nomination.
— SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) August 23, 2023
Advocating and implementing these policies will protect women, save babies, and win elections.#GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/nzcdLa2XGW
Former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson communicated that they would support a national abortion ban at 15 weeks gestation, which most medical professionals cite as the milestone at which a fetus can feel pain.
"Mike Pence, Tim Scott, and Asa Hutchinson each offered a clear, bold case for national protections for the unborn at least by 15 weeks, when they can feel pain, which aligns with the overwhelming consensus of Americans," Dannenfelser said.
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Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who acknowledges that the majority of Republican voters want national-level action on abortion, stressed that there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass a 15-week abortion ban on the federal level.
"Those who offered the clearest contrast pointed out the Democrats’ agenda of imposing abortion on demand until birth in every state, nationwide," Dannenfelser said. "Going on offense is essential for any candidate who wants to win in 2024."