(RepublicanView.org) – Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently declined to back a national abortion ban during an interview with “Meet the Press.”
McConnell, 82, seemed to dance around the answer regarding whether he supports such a ban, instead opting to express his belief that the Senate was unlikely to obtain the 60 votes necessary to pass the ban nationally. He said he believes as a “practical matter,” it will be addressed at the state level and that he wasn’t “advocating” for anything federal. He had been asked if he would support the 15-week ban, which would fall in line with a proposal by fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina from 2022.
McConnell previously played a crucial role in helping Trump appoint three conservative justices to the Supreme Court during his tenure. That would later prove vital for the Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively returning the issue of abortion back to the states in 2022.
McConnell expressed a reluctance to press forward when Graham introduced his proposal nearly two years ago, indicating that he thought members of his conference would rather it be handled by the states. However, he voted in support of advancing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act back in 2018. The legislation would have banned abortions at about 20 weeks old, the time when fetuses are believed to be capable of experiencing pain. It received a majority of “yea” votes, but not enough to avoid a filibuster.
Abortion has been a hot topic ahead of the 2024 elections and is considered an issue that Democrats want to gain an upper hand with. Polling continues to show that a loss of abortion access remains unpopular with many voters.
Trump also expressed support in April for leaving the issue up to the states rather than banning or restricting it at the federal level.
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