Senate Republicans met behind closed doors this week to explore rebranding their “pro-life” messaging after being presented with a poll that showed the term “pro-life” no longer resonated with voters.
The poll showed consistent election losses for Republicans where reproductive rights were on the ballot following the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Josh Hawley said Republicans need to be more specific in their messaging, as Hawley explained voters seemed to think that pro-life meant “no exceptions in favor of abortion ever, ever, and ‘pro-choice’ now can mean any number of things.”
*Josh Hawley’s state of Arkansas has enacted abortion bans with no exceptions for rape and incest.
Abortion is now banned in 14 states, while others are pursuing restrictions.
Senator Todd Young of Indiana said he created the term “pro-babies” in order to “demonstrate my concern for babies.”
Meanwhile, Mike Pence went on Newsmax Thursday and said Trump was wrong to suggest that the losses in the midterms were because of the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Trump had argued that Republicans who supported strict anti-abortion positions without exceptions for rape or life of the mother are to blame for poor performances in 2022. Trump also said he was not to blame.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of Senate Republicans, “is encouraging Republicans to clearly state their opposition to a national abortion ban and support for reasonable limits on late-term abortions when babies can feel pain with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother,” a source familiar with the organization’s strategy said.
The NRSC, the source said, is “encouraging candidates to contrast that position with Democrats’ support for taxpayer-funded abortion without limits.”