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Here's How Top GOP Presidential Candidates Commemorated Dobbs

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  June 28, 2023 2:30 PM

Last Saturday was the first anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe v. Wade, thus allowing voters to decide their own abortion laws through their elected officials. While Democrats have lamented the Dobbs decision, the anniversary was a cause of celebration for pro-lifers that the Republican Party courts, as abortion continues to be a major issue for any candidate who hopes to win, and the question is now what, if anything will be done on abortion, especially at the federal level. 

Donald Trump

Perhaps no one was more responsible for overturning Roe than former and potentially future President Donald Trump. In addition to adhering to a pro-life platform while a candidate and as president, he nominated three U.S. Supreme Court justices who were instrumental in the Dobbs decision. 

Trump did not appear to mark the anniversary over Truth Social, but he did speak at the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority conference that evening. During his remarks, he touted his record as "the most pro-life president in American history." 

In speaking further about the issue he said to applause, "as your president, I will continue to stand proudly for pro-life policies, just as I did for four strong years," Trump said to applause. "We cannot be afraid to take on the Democrats. We can't be afraid," Trump told the crowd. "We have to be strong and powerful," which is why, Trump added, "when I'm reelected I will continue to fight against the demented late-term abortionists in the Democrat Party." who, as Trump accurately pointed out to even louder applause, "believe in unlimited abortion on demand, and even executing babies after birth." 

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Past comments from the campaign about Dobbs returning the issue of abortion back to the states raised concerns among the pro-life movement. Trump has also blamed midterm losses on pro-lifers. 

On Saturday night, however, Trump did acknowledge that the federal government will play a "vital role" when it comes to "protecting unborn life."

Ron DeSantis

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) tweeted his celebration of Dobbs from his official account. "Florida is proof that with bold leadership we can expand pro-life protections & provide more resources for mothers and families," the tweet said. "I will always champion a culture of life."

DeSantis in April signed a bill banning most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, at around six weeks. He signed a 15-week ban into law last year.

The governor also spoke at the Road to Majority conference, where the heartbeat bill was mentioned in his introduction/ DeSantis himself spoke to his record. "We also deliver in Florida on promoting a culture of life. And that means signing the heartbeat bill into law that protects unborn children when there's a detectable heartbeat. It was the right thing to do," he said to applause, adding "don't let anyone tell you it wasn't."

While on the campaign trail in South Carolina, DeSantis earned applause for how Florida "promoted a culture of life." He also spoke to the role of the federal government, while addressing states rights as well. "This will be something that people are going to be able to debate," he said, pointing to South Carolina and Georgia as positive examples. 

"In terms of federal, I'm very concerned about what Biden wants to do. He wants federal legislation to override every single pro life law in the country and force abortion all the way up until the moment of birth in this country," DeSantis said, speaking accurately, as Biden has called for the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), which would do just that. "That is inhumane. That is obscene, and that will not happen when I am president."

Mike Pence

Mike Pence served as vice president during the Trump administration, and is now running against Trump in the primary. His steadfast commitment to the pro-life cause showed with social media posts, his media appearances, and his appearances at conferences and events. 

Pence spoke to the Road to Majority conference on Friday, participated in a tele-townhall with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America on Saturday and spoke at the National Celebrate Life Rally Day held by Students for Life of America that same day. He also spoke about Dobbs on "Fox News Sunday."

In a matter of mere days, Pence tweeted and retweeted over thirty times about the life issue. This included several on the actual anniversary, with one declaring "LIFE WON."

His campaign also sent out two emails highlighting media coverage of Pence's pro-life values, among them from the Washington Examiner's "Mike Pence calls for 2024 litmus test on abortion" and National Review's "'The Calling of Our Time': Pence Urges Republicans Not to Shy away from Pro-Life Cause on Anniversary of Dobbs."

"Every Republican candidate for president should support a ban on abortion before 15 weeks as a minimum nationwide standard," Pence declared at the Road to Majority conference, adding "the battle for life is from over." He again called for his fellow Republicans to support a 15-week ban during Saturday's National Celebrate Life Rally Day. 

Pence's Twitter account also last week tweeted a video of pro-life views from his time in Congress in 2011 to his current run for president. 

Nikki Haley

Former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) has touted her pro-life record from her time in the South Carolina House of Representatives and as governor. During a SBA Pro-Life America speech in April, she spoke to the role of the federal government by emphasizing the need for a "national consensus."

In her Saturday tweet commemorating the anniversary Haley again brought up a "consensus" as she highlighted how such a "fight is far from over" and "more must be done." When it comes to this "broad consensus at the federal level," Haley mentioned the need to "end late-term abortion, make adoption easier, support pregnant mothers, and safeguard religious liberties."

She also spoke to the Road to Majority conference on Saturday, where she mentioned the pro-life issue and how it affects her from a personal level. 

Tim Scott

Back in April, even before he made his run official, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) not only said he would sign a 20-week abortion ban, but the "most conservative pro-life legislation" that came to his desk. 

On the anniversary of Dobbs, Scott tweeted at length about his commitment to the issue.

Scott, who spoke to the Road to Majority conference on Friday, also criticized comments from Treasury Secretary of Janet Yellen, that black women should have abortions to improve their labor participation rate. Scott called it "a desperate position to take," and has called Yellen out at length. 

Among the tweets Scott shared was promoting his op-ed published in the Des Moines Register, "A year after Dobbs, there's more work to do for life."

Scott addressed abortion as a federal issue at an Iowa town hall earlier this month, explaining "I would start the conversation with a limit of 15 weeks and then try my best to win the hearts and minds of the American people to get it any more conservative," because "today's Congress is interested in how late term the abortion can be."

Clarifying further, Scott said "from a federal perspective, I think my primary objective would be to create a limit where late term abortions are impossible in the United States of America."

He also spoke to how "if in order to go more conservative, you have to engage the American people and follow the science," which is how "we will have more conservative legislation."

'With conviction and with fluency'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who is not a presidential candidate, delivered a clear message to Republican candidates in a pro-life town hall in Iowa last week. "If you want to be the nominee of the Republican party, carry our banner, you’ve got to give a clear, concise, logical answer on the pro-life issue," he said, adding "and if you can’t do that, maybe you shouldn’t be in the race."

He also warned about the Democratic position on abortion. "Our Democratic colleagues have introduced legislation in Washington that would create a national standard to overrule every state law. It would allow abortion on demand, taxpayer funded literally up to the moment of birth," he said, also telling Republicans "you should want to talk about abortion, not be afraid of it. If you can’t talk about this, you’re not going to do well."

Townhall also spoke with Timothy Head, the executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, who explained that "candidates have to be able to talk about" pro-life and other social issues "with conviction and with fluency," and have to "actually be able to compel people to believe that you will do something about it, and you're on their side."

Head also framed Dobbs as "a major win" but didn't end the war" though it "shifted the battlefield. He spoke to how one "can certainly have a very meaningful conversation about the federal role." People want to know, he apointed out, "do you have a second half" and "what else you got," since after Dobbs, the conversation is no longer about "the Supreme Court ad nauseam for 50 years."

On the likelihood of a 15-week ban passing at the federal level, Head pointed out that that's "pretty slim," given cloture rules and the lack of 60 pro-life Senators needed to pass such a bill. He suggested other pro-life wins, though, such as funding at the domestic and international level and helping states who want to protect life.