All of the Republican candidates on Wednesday night’s debate stage say they oppose abortion, but their differences on where lines should be drawn became evident on stage.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — the only woman in the GOP race — says there’s a need for “consensus” over abortion, noting that she feels it unlikely that a federal ban would pass until there are 60 senators who would support it.
Haley, who often cites her own fertility struggles and the fact that her husband is adopted, says America needs to “humanize the issue and stop demonizing” it.
Former Vice President Mike Pence challenged her position, saying that “consensus is the opposite of leadership” on the issue.
Pence is the only major candidate who has said he supports a federal ban on abortion at six weeks before many women know they’re pregnant. In an interview with The Associated Press, Pence went even further, saying abortion should be banned even when a pregnancy isn’t viable
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed a six-week abortion ban into law, said “you’ve got to do what you think is right” when asked what he felt about potential criticism that such a narrow restriction could possibly harm GOP candidates in a general election.
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