Funny how it works. These guys are elected to represent their constituent's wishes.
Notable & Quotable: J.D. Vance on Abortion
‘I want to save as many babies as possible. This is not about moral legitimacy but political reality.’
Nov. 9, 2023 5:30 pm ET
From a Nov. 8 tweet by Sen. J.D. Vance (R., Ohio) on the ballot initiative establishing a constitutional right to abortion:
For pro lifers, last night was a gut punch. No sugar coating it. . . .
I was very involved in the “no” campaign for issue 1, so let me share a few insights.
First, we got creamed among voters who disliked both Issue 1 and also Ohio’s current law (heartbeat bill). We saw this consistently in polling and in conversations. “I don’t like Issue 1, but I’d rather have that extreme than the other extreme.” This is a political fact, not my opinion.
Second, we have to recognize how much voters mistrust us (meaning elected Republicans) on this issue. Having an unplanned pregnancy is scary. Best case, you’re looking at social scorn and thousands of dollars of unexpected medical bills. We need people to see us as the pro-life party, not just the anti-abortion party.
Third, as Donald Trump has said, “you’ve got to have the exceptions.” I am as pro life as anyone, and I want to save as many babies as possible. This is not about moral legitimacy but political reality. I’ve seen dozens of good polls on the abortion question in the last few months, many of them done in Ohio. Give people a choice between abortion restrictions very early in pregnancy with exceptions, or the pro choice position, and the pro life view has a fighting chance. Give people a heartbeat bill with no exceptions and it loses 65-35. (The reason we didn’t lose 65-35 last night is that some people who hate “no exceptions” restrictions will still refuse to vote for things like Issue 1).
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