Question:
My question is, which other 2024 Republican Presidential candidates oppose a 6-week abortion ban at the state level? I know some of them oppose federal abortion legislation, but that’s a separate issue.
Short Answer:
As of the first presidential debate, none of the candidates opposed any state abortion ban. Even President Trump's position on abortion just changed recently. A few months ago he was taking personal credit for every state's abortion ban.
Trump Says He Deserves Credit for Every State Abortion Ban
Trump's recent words cautioning against "extreme" abortion state laws, are an attempt to pivot away from what many expect to be a deciding issue in the 2024 Presidential Election. based on recent polls, interim election results, and the special election results.
Long Answer:
No Republican Presidential candidate has voiced anything other than support for state abortion bans up to the GOP Presidential debates back in August.
During the First Presidential debates Mike Pence attacked Nikki Halley for not being sufficiently aggressive on anti abortion stance.
Haley responded by calling for agreement on things like banning "late-term" abortions, encouraging adoption and making contraception available. Nikki Halley cited the lack of support in Congress for federal action. Pence responded that "consensus is the opposite of leadership". Halley responded, "Don't make women feel like they have to decide on this issue when you know we don't have 60 Senate votes". She went on, We haven't had 60 votes in the Senate in 100 years. Only Nicky and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum spoke against a Federal abortion ban. No one spoke against state abortion bans.
At the time of the GOP debate, August 2023. A month ago, Trump still favored federal action in limiting abortion and was silent on the State abortion laws. article
What's prompting this new support for woman's healthcare / health on the right?
- Polls
New KFF Survey Finds Abortion Remains Key Issue for Voters with Democrats Holding a Sizeable Edge over Republicans; A Third of Women Say They’ll Only Vote for Someone Who Shares Their Views
Nine months ahead of the first presidential primary of the 2024 election season, many voters, especially women, say candidates’ views on abortion will again be a key issue, and Democrats hold a strong edge over Republicans on the issue, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.
- Ballot Initiatives, Even in some of the strongest Republican states, recent votes to favor abortion bans, fail.
Montana voters rejected an anti-abortion measure. GOP lawmakers passed a similar bill anyway.
Montana became the only state to pass a law that directly contravened voters who said “no” to an anti-abortion ballot measure in 2022.
And these aren't isolated results. Dems overperform in 24 of 30 special elections so far in 2023
Will Rodgers used to say, "I don't belong to any organized political party, I'm a Democrat". Well in what can only be described as a very savvy political move, in 2024 the Democrats are planning on making the election a referendum on choice.
- There are 10 states which have Abortion Rights initiatives on the ballots in 2024.
- 19 states have banned or restricted access to abortions since Roe was overturned.
- 7 states have overturned abortion bans or restrictions.
Where abortion is banned, restricted, protected across the US
As an Addendum I would add some empirical evidence to the pressure the GOP is under.
I live in a state which currently has a Republican Governor and Legislature. It's considered a conservative state and often used as a test bed for national issues. For the first time that I can remember, republicans in my state have started campaigning on their support of "unrestrictive abortion rights". I've just started seeing the adds within the last 2 days. Must have seen 20 of them. According to the adds any suggestion Republicans don't support "unrestricted" abortion rights are lies perpetrated by Democrats? I kid you not.
