Published August 25, 2023
Wednesday night’s Republican debate had all the flare and fireworks one would expect. What I didn’t expect was the troubling and unsatisfying answers that Republican candidates gave on abortion.
Now, before I identify what was said on Wednesday night and the problems with the positions that were spoken, let me acknowledge something upfront: The pro-life movement in America is in a state of existential crisis. There is no consensus on what policies to pursue after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. To make matters even worse, when abortion has gone on the ballot in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, pro-abortion forces have won each time and won decisively, at that.
The discomfort and electoral volatility of the issue set the context for what was said by the Republican candidates.
