Presidential Roundup: What the Candidates Are Saying About Abortion
Most responded to Donald Trump's appearance on Meet the Press
This week, Republicans attacked former President Donald Trump because of his hedging on the abortion issue. Students for Life, a group of high school and college students, sent a letter to the candidate that had been described by one outlet as “scolding.”
The difficulty of navigating abortion politics through a Republican primary while remaining electable in the general contest has been the most challenging part for most candidates vying to take on President Joe Biden. Here’s some other news from the national race for the White House:
Trump appeared on Meet the Press over the weekend. He discussed abortion and criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing a six-week ban. Trump said he was open to signing a 15-week ban. Many Republican voters took issue with the former president’s comments. He responded by touting his record as the man who presided during the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Former Vice President Mike Pence claimed that Trump was “weaker” on abortion than he was. Pence reiterated his support for a 15-week national ban, which has been a litmus test for many anti-abortion groups. South Carlina Sen. Tim Scott has also announced his support for the 15-week ban.
Sen. Scott also sent a news release that he supported the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires abortion providers to care for infants born after a failed abortion. A Minnesota Department of Health report indicated that failed abortions where infants are born alive are incredibly sporadic. In the state, in 2021, there were only five cases where an infant was born alive.
Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley continued to try to soften her stance on abortion. She told an Iowa audience that she wanted to humanize the issue because it was a personal issue, as she put it. Haley has proposed banning late-term abortions and emphasizing adoption as an alternative.
