The leading Republican candidate in the primary race, former President Donald Trump, is one of several GOP contenders who have not pledged to sign at least a 15-week national limit on abortion. This could be detrimental for whoever ends up being the nominee, as one of the top anti-abortion groups in the country says it will not offer its endorsement unless candidates back the limit.
Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and Vivek Ramaswamy are some of the 2024 Republican candidates who have been unwilling to commit to signing a 15-week federal limitation on abortion if elected.
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In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Vice President of Communications E.V. Osment made clear that the organization "will not endorse unless they commit" to signing such a measure.
While the first, second, and third polling candidates in the primary battle haven't done so, Osment is confident that progress will be made. "There has been movement, and we are very encouraged by that and we will continue to see what we think will be more evolution in that direction," she said.
She specifically pointed out Trump's change in his stance on federal involvement.
Earlier this year, Trump made headlines over statements from his campaign that said he believes the issue of abortion should be decided on a state level. SBA Pro-Life America issued a statement slamming the former president soon after. However, issues between the two seemed to subside after Trump met with the group's president, Marjorie Dannenfelser. By this summer, Trump claimed, “There of course remains a vital role for the federal government in protecting unborn life" during an event.
Osment noted that this was a significant evolution from just a few months prior, and with about five months until the Iowa caucuses, she expects more progress.
"It's still early," she explained.
She also made a point of noting a federal limit "would allow for exceptions after 15 weeks — exceptions for life of the mother, rape, incest and some of these exceptions that we see from state to state. I mean, every state in the country has an exception for the life of the mother." Osment also emphasized that the group wants candidates to approach the issue with compassion.
When it came to last week's Republican National Committee primary debate, the group was happy that abortion was discussed. "We thought there were a lot of really bold answers, and some that weren't so bold," Osment said.
The organization was "really pleased to hear Asa Hutchinson lay out very clearly for the American people that the Dobbs decision sent this back to the people through both state and federally-elected representatives. And also Mike Pence and Tim Scott echoing that."
While former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has pledged that she would sign a 15-week limit, she has been vocal in claiming that such a law wouldn't make it through the current Senate, noting that Republicans would likely need a supermajority in the upper chamber to pass it. "In order to pass a federal law, you have to have a majority of the House, 60 Senate votes, and a signature of a president. We haven't had 60 Senate votes in over 100 years," she recently said. "We might have 45. So no Republican can ban abortion any more than a Democrat can ban state laws."
Haley echoed this sentiment at the event, which Osment pushed back on. "There are lots of other important core issues for the Republican Party that don't have the votes right now in Congress. It does not mean that you don't lead on this issue," she said.
"She focused on abortion. She did not bring any of those up for other issues," she added.
Republicans have become more likely to say abortion should be legal under certain circumstances over the years. In 1975, only 55% said so. In 2023, two-thirds of Republicans believe it should be limited to certain circumstances. The number of Republicans who believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances has fallen over the course of time, from 18% in 1975 to just 8% in 2023.
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Additionally, 61% of registered Republicans expressed support for a 15-week limitation on abortion in a recent New York Times/Siena College poll.
Neither Trump's nor DeSantis's campaigns provided comment to the Washington Examiner.