Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence marks the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Women’s Health, overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion ruling in Washington. Gestures at the Celebrating National Celebration Life Day Rally, United States June 24, 2023.
Evelyn Hochsteinreuter
Two Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential election Sunday spoke out against abortion as they mark the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Presidential candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence called last year’s landmark ruling, which declared Roe v. Wade “an ashes heap of history,” a “historic victory.”
Earlier this week, Pence called on all Republican candidates to commit to a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks, but said it was also important to “stand with compassion” on Sunday. rice field.
“With 62 million unborn lives lost and as many women enduring two generations of abortions, I think we need to deliver a message of grace, a message of kindness.” said Pence in an interview Wednesday. “Fox News Sunday”. “That’s how we win people’s hearts. To me, it’s much more important than politics, but it’s also a win-win issue.”
Pence said the nationwide 15-week limit “would bring the US law in line with most European countries to literally ban abortions after 12 to 15 weeks.”
His calls for tighter restrictions have been made more recently. NBC News national poll It turns out that 6 in 10 voters still oppose the Supreme Court’s deprivation of the nation’s abortion rights. Nearly 80% of female voters ages 18 to 49, two-thirds of suburban women, 60% of independents and one-third of Republican voters disapproved of the poll, according to NBC News.
Pence also blocked the military promotion of Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville because of Pentagon policies on abortion, including a recent decision to reimburse military personnel who travel to other states to get abortions. He also said he “strongly supports” efforts to do so.
“There is absolutely no way the federal government can directly or indirectly subsidize abortion in this country, including the Department of Defense,” Pence said.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), another guest on the FOX show, disputed the comment. “we [Democrats] I support Roe vs. Wade,” Cardin said. “We thought it was an established law. It has been an established law for nearly 50 years. It was a verdict.”
That right “should not be subordinated to the conduct of the state legislature,” Mr Cardan said. “This is a personal decision that a woman has made on the advice of her doctor and her family, and we believe women should not be told when they can make such decisions. ”
But at least one Republican candidate said Sunday that he was unlikely to agree with Mr. Pence. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who announced earlier this month that he is running for president, said he supports Dobbs’ decision, but plans for a federal abortion ban until there is a “national consensus” on the issue. said to oppose.
“Conservatives like myself have been saying for the past 50 years that this is not a federal problem, it is a state problem, and that it is up to the states to decide. “It’s a decision,” he told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
“My hope is that each of the 50 states will decide on this issue, and more importantly, the people of each of the 50 states will decide on this issue and that there will be a national consensus.” said Christie.
“Once there is a national consensus, there is nothing wrong with the federal government stepping in and confirming that national consensus.”
