Republicans had hoped to make the midterm elections a referendum on Democratic control of Washington, focusing their message on combating rising inflation, securing the southern border and clamping down on perceived rising crime. What they didn't account for, however, was the outsized impact that abortion rights – including the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade – would have on the final results of the elections, which saw the GOP only narrowly retake the House and blow a chance at recapturing the Senate.
Now, the party is rethinking its messaging on abortion, acknowledging that they may have overlooked an issue that was top of mind for many voters on Election Day.
"It was probably a bigger factor than a lot of people thought," Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), said in an interview earlier this month with radio talk show host John Catsimatidis. "We've got to get conversant on that."
"We can't just do an ostrich method and pretend that it doesn't exist when Democrats are spending $30 million on that message."
A top issue: Exit polling on Election Day found that abortion was the most important issue for 27 percent of voters, making it the second biggest concern after inflation. In Pennsylvania, especially, the issue resonated with voters; 36 percent of voters named abortion as their top issue, putting it ahead of inflation on the list of concerns.
At the same time, ballot measures dealing with abortion rights won out in a handful of states, including red states like Kentucky and Montana.
That puts the GOP – a party that has aligned itself for decades with opponents of abortion rights – in a tricky position. On one hand, ceding any ground on the issue could land Republicans in hot water with anti-abortion rights conservatives who make up a large chunk of the party's voter base. On the flip side, maintaining a hardline stance against abortion rights could also cost Republicans in future elections, especially when it comes to expanding their appeal to a broader swath of the electorate.
Still, some conservatives say the party needs to lean into its anti-abortion messaging to draw a clear contrast with Democrats and motivate its conservative base.
"Heading into 2024, it is essential for any pro-life candidate to embrace the issue head-on, clearly defining their own position and contrasting it with the unpopular, extreme, abortion up-until-birth position of their opponent," Jeanne Mancini, the president of March for Life, told The Hill's Julia Manchester.
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