Republican National Committee chief Ronna McDaniel sparred with CNN anchor Dana Bash on Sunday over the GOP’s position on abortion, while calling for a recalibration of messaging.
During a discussion on CNN’s “State of the Union” about the GOP’s setbacks in off-year elections Tuesday, McDaniel criticized Democrats’ position on late-term abortions, prompting Bash’s pushback.
“We now know, through 50-year-old science, that a baby feels pain when his life is taken away at 15 weeks,” McDaniel said.
“Why do Democrats continue to double down on 39 weeks, 38 weeks?”
Bash responded that “most Democrats” do not support abortion this late in pregnancy, and maintained that if such a procedure occurred at that time, it usually “means something went wrong.”
“That is the life of a mother, which is an exception, but there are states, five or six, that have it at 39 weeks,” McDaniel responded, referring to the handful of states, in addition to Washington, DC, that allow abortion without term. restrictions.
Ronna McDaniel encouraged the Republican Party to insist on the tough positions taken by Democrats on abortion. AP
“If we don’t support that, let’s come to this consensus position,” he added.
Republicans have been reeling from a series of off-year election losses in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and elsewhere.
Ohio was the seventh consecutive state where the anti-abortion cause lost in a ballot initiative since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
“I’m a suburban woman, I get it,” McDaniel joked.
McDaniel said Tuesday that he believed abortion was a major impediment for Republicans and urged the candidates to rework their messages.
He cited Virginia Senate challenger Danny Diggs’ airing of an ad featuring his daughter defending a ban on abortion at 15 weeks as an example of the tact Republicans should take.
Voters decisively backed a referendum in Ohio to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution.AP
But Bash questioned whether Republicans’ position on abortion is really the problem, and not the message.
“Why don’t Republicans look at that and say this is on the wrong side politically?” -Bash asked.
“I think the country has common sense limitations,” McDaniel responded. “I think most Americans think there should be a limitation when we know a baby is in pain.”
The head of the Republican National Committee declined to criticize Republicans seeking to impose restrictions beyond 15 weeks, maintaining that candidates are evaluating their own states and congressional districts.
McDaniel has discouraged Republicans from ignoring the abortion issue and urged them to fight back, lamenting how Democrats significantly outspent them on the airwaves.
Vivek Ramaswamy called for new leadership at the Republican National Committee after last week’s election losses.AP
The Republican Party’s lackluster performance brought finger-pointing and scapegoating its way, particularly from biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, something McDaniel has ignored, noting that the RNC specializes in national, not local, elections.
He shared his frustration with the Republicans’ less-than-stellar performance last week, but emphasized that the Republican National Committee has limitations.
“The RNC builds the road. All candidates drive there, it takes a good candidate and a good road to get to your destination,” he said.
Dana Bash pressed Ronna McDaniel about her beliefs on the GOP’s abortion strategy.AP
Asked what he thought about former President Donald Trump becoming the party’s standard-bearer despite 91 criminal charges pending against him, McDaniel downplayed the risks of nominating a convicted felon.
“As president of the party, I am going to support the voters who choose and yes, if they choose Donald Trump. “Voters are seeing this and thinking there is a two-tier justice system,” he said.
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