What the GOP candidates have said about abortion rights
The issue of abortion rights in the United States is staring the 2024 GOP presidential candidates in their faces as they prepare to kick their campaigns into high gear.
Since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark case Roe v Wade (1973) last summer, abortion has become a top concern for many voters.
Though the anti-abortion stance has long been associated with the Republican Party, approximately 61 per cent of adults in the US believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to Pew Research Center – that statistic includes Republican and Democratic voters.
As Americans look toward their next Republican presidential nominee, no doubt many will be considering where the candidate stands on abortion when determining who they support.
Here is what each GOP presidential candidate has said on the issue.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump has never taken a clear-cut stance on the issue of abortion.
The ex-president has repeatedly taken credit for assisting the Supreme Court in overturning Roe v Wade by nominating three conservative justices to the court.
Shortly after the decision was made in June 2022, Mr Trump declared it a “win” and claimed it was only possible, “because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court”.
He reiterated this claim in May on Truth Social: “I was able to kill Roe v Wade… Without me the pro Life movement would have just kept losing.”
In the same month, Mr Trump boasted about helping reverse federal abortion protections and also criticised governor Ron DeSantis for implementing a six-week ban in Florida.
He told The Messenger in May, “Many people within the pro-life movement feel that that was too harsh.”
Ron DeSantis
The Florida governor opposes abortion. Earlier this year, he told Megyn Kelly he is “proud to be pro-life” though he believes in exceptions in the cases of rape, incest or to save a woman’s life.
Mr DeSantis has reflected these views through legislation in Florida.
Last year, he signed a 15-week abortion ban in his state and then earlier this year, he quietly signed a more-restrictive six-week abortion ban.
It is unclear if Mr DeSantis would support a federal abortion ban. He told Ms Kelly, “I’ll always come down on the side of life… and I’ll be a pro-life president.”
But at the same time, he has criticised the federal government for protecting abortion calling it an “abuse of power.”
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley has taken a mostly middle-of-the-road stance on abortion.
The former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador said she is “unapologetically pro-life” but that abortion is “a very personal issue”, in an interview with CBS in June.
Ms Haley said Congress should enact policies that everyone can agree on.
"So, where can we agree? We can agree: Let’s stop late-term abortions. Let’s make sure that if doctors and nurses don’t believe in abortion, they shouldn’t have to perform them. Let’s encourage more adoptions and make sure our children in foster care feel love. Let’s make sure contraception is accessible. And let’s say that if a woman has an abortion, she shouldn’t go to jail or get the death penalty. Let’s start there. And instead of demonizing the issue, let’s humanize the issue,” Ms Haley said.
Mike Pence
The former vice president is an adamant anti-abortion advocate, going as far as to say he would support a federal ban even for unviable pregnancies.
In an interview with the Associated Press in July, Mike Pence claimed: “I just have heard so many stories over the years of courageous women and families who were told that their unborn child would not go to term or would not survive. And then they had a healthy pregnancy and a healthy delivery.”
Mr Pence has also expressed support for removing the abortion pill, mifepristone, from the market.
Asa Hutchinson
Asa Hutchinson, the ex-governor of Arkansas, is anti-abortion but believes in exceptions to save a mother’s life and in cases of rape or incest.
He told CNN in April that he would “certainly” sign a federal pro-life bill with those exceptions.
Though he says this, in 2021, Mr Hutchinson signed a trigger bill in Arkansas that made abortion illegal except to save a woman’s life. It did not include provisions in cases of rape or incest.
Tim Scott
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott is self-proclaimed “strongly pro-life” and has made it clear he would sign a federal ban beginning, at the very least, 15 weeks.
“When I am president of the United States, I will sign the most pro-life legislation the House and Senate can put on my desk. We should begin with a 15-week national limit,” Mr Scott wrote in an op-ed for The Des Moines Register in June.
But Mr Scott has hinted that he’d be open to a more restrictive federal ban.
The senator told NBC News in April that he would “literally” sign “the most conservative pro-life legislation” that Congress could pass. But when asked what the cutoff should be, Mr Scott said, “I’m not going to talk about six or five or seven or 10.”
Francis Suarez
Francis Suarez is anti-abortion with some exceptions.
The mayor of Miami told The Associated Press in June that he would support a 15-week federal abortion ban with exceptions to save the mother’s life, rape and incest.
He hinted that he could support a six-week ban down the line, however, he believes the US “is not there yet.”
Chris Christie
Chris Christie has called himself “pro-life” but his opinion on a federal ban has changed in the last eight years.
In 2015, Mr Christie vocalised support for a 20-week federal ban.
But in June, the ex-New Jersey governor told CNN that the issue of abortion should be left to the states only.
"This should be determined by the 50 states. The issue of abortion’s not in the Constitution. And the Constitution says if it’s not explicitly said here, this power reverts to the states," Mr Christie said.
"I would not be for the federal government being involved in the issue of abortion in any way. I believe the states should make the decisions."
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur-turned-politician, said he is anti-abortion but does not believe in a federal ban.
“I am personally pro-life,” Mr Ramaswamy said on the All-In Podcast in July. “I would not support a federal abortion ban.”
Mr Ramaswamy has repeatedly stated that he believes abortion is a state issue, not a federal one.
Instead, he has said he would support the pro-life agenda by implementing legislation that supports contraceptives, adoption, child care and “sexual responsibility for men.”
Doug Burgum
The North Dakota governor is anti-abortion but stated he would not sign a federal ban.
“I support the Dobbs decision, and this is the decision that should be left to the states,” Doug Burgumtold NBC in July
“What’s going to pass in North Dakota is not ever going to pass in California and New York, and wouldn’t even pass in the state of Minnesota. That’s why I’m on the record saying that I would not sign a federal abortion ban.”
In April, Mr Burgum signed a bill banning abortions in North Dakota with slim exceptions in cases of rape or incest only up to six weeks of gestation.
Larry Elder
Larry Elder is personally anti-abortion but believes abortion is a state issue so he would not support a federal abortion ban.
“In my opinion, abortion is a crime and in my opinion abortion is homicide,” Mr Elder told Forbes Newsroom in July.
He added: “If it’s a state issue, by definition I wouldn’t support a federal abortion ban, so no.”
Will Hurd
Former US Representative Will Hurd is anti-abortion and indicated he would sign a 15-week federal ban if it were passed by Congress.
While speaking withThe Hillin June, Mr Hurd said his “personal position has always been 15 weeks sounds right” but that he doesn’t “see 60 votes happening” to avoid a filibuster.
Ryan Binkley
Ryan Binkley, a pastor and entrepreneur from Texas, is anti-abortion.
It is unclear if Mr Binkley would support a federal abortion ban though one of the goals that he lists on his website is to “protect the unborn”.
He wrote: “My heart breaks for hundreds of thousands of unborn children who lost their lives to abortion last year.”
Perry Johnson
Perry Johnson is anti-abortion and hinted that he does not believe in exceptions in the cases of rape or incest.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” he told reporters in February 2022. “I am pro-life.”
