2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley revealed her stance on abortion, causing controversy within her party.
This week, Haley acknowledged that she would support a six-week abortion ban in South Carolina if she would remain governor of the state.
While speaking at an evangelical forum, Haley said that she is unapologetically “pro-life” despite calling for a “consensus” on the matter.
“I think you can look at my entire record as governor. I fought for life whether it was a pain-capable bill, whether it was making sure that women had to wait to see an ultrasound before they made a decision,” Haley said. All the things that we did to focus on life as governor at the United Nations — they said that I was the most pro-life ambassador they had ever had represent the U.S. at the United Nations because we did everything we could to make sure [that] 1. our taxpayer dollars never went towards anything that would take that life away or abortion. And we always tried to do what we could to make sure that we honored the sanctity of life.”
Nikki Haley breaks down her policy views on abortion while speaking to a room of evangelical Republicans
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) November 17, 2023
Asked if she were still SC gov, would she sign a bill similar to IA’s bill banning most abortions after 6 wks?
“Yes,” Haley said. “Whatever the people decide you should do” pic.twitter.com/iKl1JfaMEY
At the event, Bob Vander Plaats, president of the FAMILY Leader, asked if she would support such a controversial abortion ban if she were still governor, and Haley confirmed that she would.
"Everyone knows why Joe Biden and the Democrats are attacking Nikki Haley—because they’re terrified of running against her. The polls shows it and Democrats have admitted it. Nikki will not only beat Joe Biden, she’ll help Republicans win up and down the ballot," Ken Farnaso, spokesman Haley said.
During the third GOP debate, Haley admitted that she thought getting Congress to sign a 15-week abortion ban was unrealistic, adding that she “will sign anything where we can get 60 Senate votes, but don’t make the American people think that you’re going to push something on them when we don’t even have the votes in the Senate.”
Abortion has been a strong focus of the 2024 election. Republican candidates have continuously clashed over whether to support a national ban.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) hit back at Haley, saying her remarks are “indulging media narratives.”
“I think she’s playing into some of the stereotypes that the left uses against conservatives,” the Florida governor stated.
Unsurprisingly, the pro-abortion Biden Administration attacked Haley for her stance, saying she is “no moderate.”
“Nikki Haley is no moderate — she’s an anti-abortion MAGA extremist who wants to rip away women’s freedoms just like she did when she was South Carolina governor,” the Biden campaign said in a statement.
The anti-life administration claimed the conservative governor would bring “anxiety, dread, and fear” to South Carolina women.