MILWAUKEE, July 17 (Reuters) – Democrats are attacking Senator J.D. Vance over his past comments on abortion, arguing that Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick signals Republicans’ intent to pursue stricter abortion laws if they win in November.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Vance has previously taken a harder stance on abortion than Trump, who opposes abortion but supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life. Vance once suggested victims of rape and incest should carry pregnancies to term but has since stated he supports those exceptions.
Trump’s selection of Vance provided President Joe Biden’s campaign with a fresh opportunity to criticize Republicans on abortion rights, an issue that Democrats believe could attract independent voters and boost turnout in the November 5 election. Most opinion polls show a majority of Americans broadly support abortion rights.
Christopher Devine, a political science professor at Dayton University in Ohio, noted that targeting Vance’s abortion views could help Democrats sow doubt about Trump’s stance.
“Voters are still trying to figure out what are Donald Trump’s actual views,” Devine said.
Trump has distanced himself from a federal abortion ban, advocating for the issue to be left to state legislatures, a position adopted by the Republican Party in its new platform. Vance echoed this approach earlier this week.
Following Vance’s nomination, the Democratic National Committee launched 16 billboards in the Milwaukee area highlighting reproductive rights. One billboard read, “Trump-Vance Project 2025: Ban abortion, punish women,” referring to conservative policy proposals known as Project 2025.
In a new video, Vice President Kamala Harris labeled Vance an extremist who “supports a national abortion ban.” The Biden campaign also held a press conference in Milwaukee to emphasize Republicans’ abortion policies to Wisconsin voters.
“J.D. Vance is an anti-choice politician whose views on reproductive freedom and women’s rights would take us back decades,” said Quentin Fulks, the Biden-Harris principal deputy campaign manager.
The Biden campaign argues that Trump is downplaying unpopular abortion restrictions to get elected and contends that if Republicans control Congress, Trump would likely support any restrictive measures passed.
The Trump-Vance campaign dismissed Democrats’ claims as lies, with spokesperson Steven Cheung stating that Vance “supports reasonable exceptions” and criticizing the Democrats’ approach as “smear tactics.”
Republicans at the convention were skeptical that Democrats’ focus on abortion would sway voters. Several women interviewed supported Vance despite his past comments, viewing abortion as a minor issue in the election.
In his first interview after being named Trump’s running mate, Vance said Trump’s views on abortion would shape the Republican Party’s stance. “You have to believe in reasonable exceptions because that’s where the American people are,” Vance told Fox News, emphasizing state-level decision-making.
However, Vance’s earlier comments have provided ammunition for the Biden-Harris campaign. In a 2021 interview, Vance emphasized the right to life for unborn babies, even in cases of rape and incest, arguing against seeing unborn babies as “inconveniences to be discarded.”
During his 2022 Senate campaign, Vance acknowledged certain exceptions to abortion and described a national abortion bill proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham, which included exceptions for rape, incest, and the mother’s life, as “totally reasonable.”
After Ohio voters added the right to access abortion care to the state’s constitution in November 2023, Vance described the vote as a “gut punch” for abortion opponents.
Despite Vance’s conservative views, some Republicans remain enthusiastic about his candidacy. Dawn Marquardt, a delegate from Wyoming, expressed her support, saying, “I like that he’s younger, very conservative, and not afraid to stand up to the news media and express his mind.”
