The biggest conservative policy success of former President Donald Trump’s term in office may also be his 2024 campaign’s undoing: the overturning of Roe v Wade. Trump has tried to avoid embracing his party’s most unpopular policies during the campaign while placating anti-abortion advocates. He doesn’t endorse a national ban on abortion but brags about appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices who made new abortion restrictions possible. However, his juggling act has caught up with him, as evidenced by his stance on a Florida ballot measure that would make abortion legal up to fetal viability, which he initially criticized, then seemed to support before ultimately opposing. This inconsistency has upset anti-abortion activists and caused confusion in the Republican Party. The issue of abortion has Republicans on the defensive, with many states passing restrictive laws, leading to backlash from voters. The popularity of abortion rights measures at the state level and Trump’s inconsistencies on the issue have put him in a difficult position. While opposing extreme abortion measures may help keep his Christian conservative base happy, it risks tying him to near-total abortion bans which are unpopular with the majority of voters. Trump’s struggle with the abortion question highlights the challenge of navigating a contentious issue that is divisive within the Republican Party and among voters.
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Florida ballot question exposes flaws in Trump’s abortion stance
