NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The pro-life movement accomplished its goal: overturning the judicial precedent of Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Roe v. Wade through the conservative-leaning Supreme Court in the summer of 2022. In the blockbuster case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court opinion, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, ruled in 5-1-3 decision that: “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
Simply put, abortion policy was now up to individual states, not the courts. For decades, the conservative pro-life movement lobbied for the overturning of Roe and allowing states to make abortion policy through their state representatives. And through President Trump’s appointment of three Supreme Court justices, this happened. However, abortion at the federal level has caused Republicans issues with the electorate.
Republicans need to learn how to message this delicate conversation, or we could face undertows going into November, just like we did in the 2022 midterms. President Trump’s recent policy announcement on abortion is smart: protect IVF, oppose a federal abortion ban, create a pro-life culture, and exceptions for rape, incest, and health of the mother.
On top of this, if former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan were to win his Senate race in Maryland (he is pro-choice), it would result in another vote against a ban. Arizona Senate candidate Republican Kari Lake is also against a federal abortion ban and that would be another vote lost.
Simply put: Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate for a federal abortion ban. Why would Republicans run on a federal abortion ban that is 11 points underwater and has zero chance of becoming law in Congress?
President Trump is right to take the position that Republicans should not be pushing for a federal abortion ban, which has no chance of passing even if Republicans sweep the Senate map in 2024. Instead, Republicans should talk more about policies that will help create a pro-life, pro-family culture, instead of speaking about federal abortion bans.
This would be a stark contrast with Democrats who are truly radical on abortion, including 2022 legislation aimed at codifying Roe, which allowed abortion up to 9 months with no restrictions. Late-term abortion is opposed by the majority of Americans. States will take care of the issue, just like President Trump has rightfully pointed out.
Even in red states like Ohio, ballot initiatives on abortion rights have passed. And voters in Kansas rejected an amendment that would have declared citizens had no right to an abortion.
Republicans should focus more on policies that help families and women instead of unrealistic federal abortion bans. If this election is a referendum on Joe Biden because of his unpopular handling of the economy and the border, Republicans are in a good place to win. If it is about abortion, the waters get murky.
The post Trump is right: Republicans need to reframe the abortion debate appeared first on Fox News.