Republicans Shift and Debate Abortion Stances Ahead of 2022 Elections
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Republicans have been grappling with how to handle the politics of abortion — an energizing issue for Democrats — ahead of the November general elections.
When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) proposed a national 15-week abortion ban, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — a longtime proponent of similar bans — instead asserted that the issue should be left to states. While some Republican candidates supported Graham’s proposal, others like Nevada GOP gubernatorial candidate Joe Lombardo said they would oppose it.
Several Republican candidates have moderated their public positions on abortion in recent weeks, prompting some accusations of hypocrisy from Democrats. One such candidate was Arizona’s Blake Masters, who previously called pro-choice advocates “demonic”; Masters removed his support of a fetal personhood law from his campaign website and said he supported a federal ban on third trimester abortions, only to then back Graham’s proposed 15-week federal ban.
Commentators from across the spectrum weighed in on Republicans’ approach to abortion ahead of the midterms. As might be expected, some analyses from the left implicitly opposed abortion restrictions, and some commentary from the right implicitly favored them. Some voices across the spectrum framed Graham’s proposed federal ban as divisive for Republicans.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Republicans in muddle on abortion as ban proposed by Graham exposes rifts
In a memo to GOP campaigns released this week, the Republican National Committee laid out what it called a winning message on abortion: Press Democrats on where they stand on the procedure later in pregnancy, seek “common ground” on exceptions to bans and keep the focus on crime and the economy.
Then, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) introduced legislation to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy — overshadowing new inflation numbers and undermining what many GOP strategists see as their best message for the fall: “Leave it to the states.”
From the Right
Why many Republicans are scrambling and scrubbing on abortion
Republicans are still virtually certain to take over the House. The Senate seems a tossup. But there is no question that the abortion issue has changed the midterm playing field.
The relentless media focus on the Donald Trump investigation isn’t helping either, when Republicans want to be talking about inflation and Joe Biden. But there are clear signs that potential Democratic voters are fired up and may turn out in larger numbers in November.
The latest Wall Street Journal poll finds 52% of white suburban women say they would support a...
From the Center
McConnell throws shade on Graham’s proposed national abortion ban
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday made clear that Senate Republicans are not eager to debate Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) proposal to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy, telling reporters that most GOP senators want to leave the issue to states.
McConnell also said Graham’s proposal is the South Carolina senator’s own initiative and not something being pushed at the leadership level.
“With regard to his bill, you’ll have to ask him about it. In terms of scheduling, I think most of the members of my conference...
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