On Sunday, former Vice President Mike Pence defended his plea for his fellow Republican presidential candidates to support a 15-week national ban on abortion.
“Every Republican candidate for president should support a ban on abortion before 15 weeks as a minimum nationwide standard,” said Pence during the Fox News interview.
His call comes in light of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in which the Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to decide whether abortion should be legal within their borders. This decision has enabled abortion restrictions in many states, leading to an influx of patients who must travel great lengths in order to receive reproductive care.
Pence hailed the Dobbs decision on Sunday as a “historic victory.”
His stance on abortion was made clear during his time in the White House and has been at the forefront of his current presidential campaign. Pence has repeatedly stated that abortion will be a “winning issue” for Republican candidates in 2024, although polling suggests otherwise.
The former vice president has also voiced his support for Sen. Tommy Tubervile’s (R-Alabama) hold on military promotions in opposition to a Defense Department policy on abortion, which grants military members paid leave and travel to get “non-covered reproductive health services.”
“I think we need to bring a message of grace,” said Pence. “We need to bring a message of kindness. We need to come alongside women in crisis pregnancies. That’s how we’re going to win hearts and minds.”
