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Breccan F. Thies, Investigative Reporter


NextImg:Where the 2024 GOP presidential field stands on abortion

Abortion is yet again shaping up to be a hot-button issue in 2024 races across the country after the past year, which saw major restrictions on the procedure for the first time in 50 years.

After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, many states pursued different strategies to limit abortions, with some enacting policies that outlaw the procedure almost entirely, and others instituting heartbeat, 12-week, and 15-week protections for the unborn.

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However, while the framework set up by Dobbs returned abortion regulation to state governments, anti-abortion people are looking for some form of minimal federal protection.

SBA Pro-Life America, one of the nation's most prominent anti-abortion advocacy groups, has set the bar at a minimum 15-week national protection.

“In the 2024 presidential contest, it is critical that pro-life candidates show bold leadership and lay out a clear policy platform in contrast to their opponents who support abortion on demand up until birth, paid for by taxpayers," the group said after Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R-FL) candidacy announcement earlier this week. "The pro-life movement is looking for a national defender of life who will proudly advocate a minimum national standard to protect unborn children from painful abortions at least by 15 weeks — a standard backed by 72% of Americans — and who will work tirelessly to build consensus and gather the votes necessary in Congress."

The 2024 Republican field is growing quickly, and each candidate appears to have different ideas on the federal government's involvement in abortion restrictions.

Here are the latest positions taken by Republican presidential hopefuls:

Former President Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump often points out that without his presidency, and the appointment of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, the "great victory" of Dobbs would never have happened.

Trump believes the decision to regulate abortion is rightly placed with the states, going along the logic of the Dobbs framework.

This position drew ire from prominent members of the anti-abortion movement, including SBA president Marjorie Dannenfelser, who called the position "morally indefensible."

Trump recently met with Dannenfelser and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to discuss abortion, which Dannenfelser said was "terrific."

At his CNN town hall days after the meeting, Trump would not commit to a national protection but went after pro-abortion Democrats who would "rip the baby out of the womb at the end of the ninth month; they will kill the baby in the ninth month."

Gov. Ron DeSantis

After much anticipation, DeSantis entered the presidential race earlier this week.

In the wake of Dobbs, the Florida Republican pursued a 15-week protection and then a heartbeat bill, halting the procedure around six weeks of pregnancy. DeSantis has been roundly praised by groups such as SBA for his policies in Florida.

In his first interview after announcing his run, DeSantis did not say whether he would nationalize the policies.

"Dobbs returned the issue to the elected representatives of the people," DeSantis told Fox News. "I think there's a role for both the federal and the states."

DeSantis said he is "concerned about a Democratic administration with a [governmental] trifecta trying to nationalize abortion all the way up until birth," which he said would be an "abuse of power" and a violation of a state's right to limit the procedure.

Former Vice President Mike Pence

Pence, who has not yet entered the race but is widely expected to, seems more open than many in the field to use the federal government to institute federal protections limiting abortion.

He recently committed to supporting a 15-week national protection, which is "actually supported by more than 70% of the American people."

"It really represents a minimum standard that's more reflective of most Western countries in the world," he added.

Pence also said those who believe Dobbs gave the decision solely to the states may be misinterpreting the Supreme Court's intention.

"I don't believe the Supreme Court decided to simply send that question back to states," Pence said. "They sent it to the states and the American people."

Vivek Ramaswamy

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy does not support a national protection.

A spokeswoman for the candidate told the Washington Examiner he believes "abortion is murder" and that, because murder is handled legally at the state level, states are the proper place for abortion to be regulated as well.

Ramaswamy places a premium on families, saying the "greatest privilege" he has received in life is "growing up in a stable, two-parent household," according to the spokeswoman.

In that vein, Ramaswamy does support certain federal measures aimed at helping women bring their babies to term, such as child care, adoption, and "sexual responsibility for men." It would also include contraceptives to "cut off the demand for this murder."

Sen. Tim Scott

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) refers to himself as a "100% pro-life conservative" and supports a 15-week limitation.

"If I were president of the United States, I would sign the most positive, conservative, pro-life piece of legislation I could get to my desk," Scott told Faith Wire, adding that the mission is "winning the hearts and minds of the American people."

"I would hope that by winning the hearts and minds of the American people, that we would have a different conversation about the culture of life and preserving life even better," he added. "But until we win those hearts of minds, we won’t win the argument."

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley

In a recent speech at the SBA headquarters, Haley said she wants to affect change at a federal level by finding a "national consensus" to "save as many lives and help as many moms as possible."

She called talk of weeklong protections and exceptions a "gotcha bidding war" about a "sensitive issue."

"The pro-life laws that have passed in strongly Republican states will not be approved at the federal level," she said, adding, however, that she does believe there is a "federal role on abortion."

Some of those items include a protection for babies who survive botched abortion attempts, supporting mothers in carrying their babies to term, and adoption.

She also said the public should be able to agree that abortion up until the moment of birth "is a bridge too far" and that "contraception should be more available, not less."

"Different people in different places are taking different paths," she said of the Dobbs decision. "That’s what the founders of our country envisioned. It’s the reality of living in a democracy."

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson

Asa Hutchinson has committed to signing a 15-week abortion restriction.

He said the bill would need to have "appropriate exceptions" that include rape, incest, and cases where the life of the mother is at risk.

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When he was governor of the Natural State, Hutchinson signed a 2021 near-total ban on abortion. He has since said he did so hoping the Supreme Court would take a lawsuit challenging the ban and overturn Roe v. Wade.

"I would prefer that this is an issue that’s resolved by the states because that’s what the pro-life community fought for for 40 years in reversing Roe v. Wade," he said. "There’s gonna be more pressure on the Republican side and on the life side to put in those reasonable restrictions, and so I would support that if those restrictions are in place and that we can have a national standard to help save the lives of the unborn."