Reproductive Rights
Democrats
Restore Roe v Wade
Harris plans to push for legislation that would restore national abortion rights, similar to those under Roe v. Wade. She supports blocking state-level restrictions and advocates for codifying Roe's protections into law.
- Protecting Roe v. Wade: Harris has emphasized the need to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into law, aiming to restore abortion rights to the state they were before the Dobbs decision.
- Federal Action: She has pledged to take federal action to protect reproductive freedoms, including signing a law to restore these rights if Congress passes such legislation.
- Opposition to Trump’s Policies: Harris has stated that she will work to counteract Trump’s extreme abortion bans and remains critical of efforts to restrict reproductive freedoms through executive action.
- Focus on Medication Abortions: She has highlighted the threat to medication abortions and warned about the potential plans to eliminate them through executive actions, stressing the need for vigilance.
- Running Mate’s Perspective: Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, has shared personal experiences with infertility treatments, contrasting sharply with far-right efforts to restrict reproductive freedoms and underscoring the ongoing relevance of the issue.
- National Abortion Ban Opposition: Harris opposes any national abortion bans and emphasizes federal action to protect reproductive rights rather than supporting such bans.
- Campaign Focus: Reproductive rights have been a central issue in her campaign, reflecting its importance in driving voter turnout and influencing the political landscape.
Republicans
Delegate Abortion Decisions to States
Trump plans to leave abortion decisions to the states, opposing a federal ban. He supports exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the woman and opposes taxpayer-funded abortions.
- Federal Abortion Ban Pressure: Trump faces pressure from anti-abortion groups to enact a federal abortion ban, but he has not committed to this action.
- Negotiation Approach: Last fall, Trump proposed negotiating a compromise on abortion to achieve "peace" on the issue, suggesting he might mediate between different sides.
- 16-Week Ban Proposal: He previously floated the idea of a federal abortion ban at 16 weeks of pregnancy, a number he preferred for its simplicity, but did not pursue it further.
- Delegate Abortion Decisions to States: Trump plans to leave abortion decisions to individual states rather than imposing a federal ban. He supports exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the woman, but opposes taxpayer-funded abortions.
- Opposition to National Ban: Trump has stated that he would not sign a national abortion ban if it passed Congress, indicating his preference for state-level legislation.
- Legal Scholars and State Control: During the June debate, Trump highlighted that he believed returning abortion regulation to the states was supported by legal scholars and was a positive development.
- Medication Abortions: Trump has shown reluctance to commit to a firm policy on medication abortions, with the party platform reflecting uncertainty on this issue.
- Vice Presidential Pick: His choice of Sen. JD Vance as vice president, who supports a national abortion ban and opposes exceptions for rape and incest, suggests alignment with more stringent anti-abortion views.
