Former President Donald Trump came under heat from anti-abortion groups after dodging questions during a recent "Meet The Press" interview on whether he'd support a national abortion ban and calling Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' law banning the procedure after six weeks a "terrible thing."
As the overwhelming GOP presidential front-runner, Trump faces the same burden that Republican Senate candidates running for office in swing states do—striking a balance on the issue that appeals to moderates without alienating the party's conservative base.
Abortion is likely to remain a fixture of the Republican primaries as candidates prepare for a debate on Wednesday and the Supreme Court returns to session next week that will move it closer to a decision on access to the abortion drug mifepristone, and Democrats plan to seize on it.
"Despite voters overwhelmingly rejecting their toxic agenda, Republicans haven't slowed their attacks on women's reproductive freedom," Nora Keefe, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) told Newsweek.
"On the record and on video, Republican Senate candidates have already staked out dangerous positions that would make abortion illegal and rip away women's right to make our own health care decisions," she added. "We'll make sure voters see and hear what Republicans have said in their own words."
In 2024, Democrats will defend seats in three red states—Montana, Ohio, and West Virginia—as well as five battleground states: Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Wisconsin and Arizona do not yet have clear front-runners, but in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Michigan three GOP establishment favorites have materialized.
Each of these candidates has conflicting past statements and actions regarding their stances on abortion.
Pennsylvania
National Republicans obtained a recruiting victory when David McCormick, an Army veteran and CEO of the investment management firm Bridgewater Associates announced he would challenge three-term incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey Jr.
McCormick ran for Senate in 2022 but lost in the primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz, who eventually went on to drop the previously GOP-held seat to Democratic Senator John Fetterman. The primary was closely fought, but Oz pulled ahead after winning a coveted endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
During a primary debate, when asked whether he supports exceptions for rape, incest, and a mother's life, McCormick said "there should be exceptions for life of the mother," but stopped short of commenting on rape and incest.
However, at the time of the primary, media outlets reported McCormick's comments indicated he was only in favor of the one exception, and such articles did not receive pushback from the campaign, Pittsburgh-area news station WESA reported. State Democrats accused McCormick of attempting to cover up his stance.
"As Dave has said numerous times last cycle and more recently, he is pro-life and supports exceptions in the cases of rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother," McCormick's spokeswoman Elizabeth Gregory told Newsweek in a statement, providing a recording from a campaign event in February 2022, prior to the primary debate, where McCormick stated his support for the three exceptions to voters.
Nevada
Retired Army Captain Sam Brown, a purple heart recipient, will challenge Democratic Congresswoman Jacky Rosen in Nevada. He, like McCormick, lost in the state's 2022 GOP primary and became a top recruit for Republicans this cycle.
"My personal view was shaped in large part by my experience in Afghanistan where I nearly lost my own life but was then blessed with a second chance at living," Brown told Newsweek in a statement when asked about his position on the issue. "I'm pro life, with exceptions for the tragic cases of rape, incest, and situations where the mother's life is at risk."
In line with his pro-life stance, Brown opposes any federal funding for abortions and supports federal judges who "understand the importance of protecting life." After his 2022 Senate campaign, Brown became chairman of the Nevada Faith and Freedom Coalition, a nonprofit organization that advances faith-based values. The entity commits itself to "protecting life" and has publicly supported the notion that life begins at conception.
However, when it comes to specifics regarding how he would handle the abortion issue as a senator, the Nevada Republican's campaign website does not offer details regarding restrictions based on the length of the pregnancy. When Brown ran in a 2014 GOP primary for a Texas House of Representatives seat, he supported a state bill that placed a 20-week ban on abortion, the Nevada Independent reported.
Additionally, in a questionnaire Brown submitted to iVoterGuide, a website run by a nonprofit organization committed to advancing biblical values, Brown stated he supports abortions when the mother's life is at risk but did not mark exceptions for rape or incest.
Michigan
The race in Michigan to fill retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow's seat will pit Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin against former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, who served from 2001 through 2015.
Regarding his views on abortion, Rogers said as a candidate in 2010 that he believed those terminated through abortions had not "received proper due process under the law," adding that he believes abortions should only be legal in cases to protect the mother's life.
Rogers also co-sponsored the Right To Life Act during his time in the House. The bill defines a "human being" as being created at the moment of fertilization, providing fertilized eggs, embryos, and fetuses with citizenship rights outlined in the 14th Amendment.
Newsweek contacted the Rogers campaign for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication. The Detroit News reported on September 7 that Rogers recognizes the state's constitutional amendment protecting abortion that Michiganders voted in favor of, saying, "Will I go to Washington, D.C., and try to undo what the citizens of Michigan voted for? I will not."
Takeaways
If Democrats can successfully replicate their 2022 strategy of placing abortion at the center of critical swing elections, Republicans will face a tough political climate in 2024, said Laurel Harbridge-Yong, a professor with Northwestern University's Department of Political Science.
The 2022 midterms and several off-cycle elections showed that the issue motivated voters to the ballot box, she added, and voters who are motivated by the issue of reproductive rights disproportionality swing Democratic.
"Republicans have yet to develop a clear message around abortion that negates or muddies Democrats' current advantage given public opinion on this issue," Harbridge-Yong told Newsweek. "If Republicans can't develop strong messaging on abortion, they will likely focus on other issues that tend to favor their party or where they can criticize the president's party (e.g., economy, crime, immigration)."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alex J. Rouhandeh serves as Newsweek's congressional correspondent, reporting from Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. Over his tenure with ... Read more
