Last updated on: 9/2/2015 9:35:02 AM PST
Should Abortion Be Legal?
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"I believe we need to protect access to safe and legal abortion, not just in principle but in practice. Any right that requires you to take extraordinary measures to access it is no right at all. Not when patients and providers have to endure harassment and intimidation just to walk in to a health center. Not when, not when making an appointment means taking time off from work, finding child care and driving halfway across your state. Not when providers are required by state law to recite misleading information to women in order to shame and scare them. And not as long as we have laws on the book like the Hyde Amendment, making it harder for low-income women to exercise their full rights."
Source: C-Span, “Hillary Clinton Calls for Ending Hyde Amendment, www.c-span.org, Jan. 10, 2016
Pro
"As Governor, Johnson never advocated abortion or taxpayer funding of it. However, Gov. Johnson recognizes that the right of a woman to choose is the law of the land today, and has been for several decades. That right must be respected, and ultimately he believes this is a very personal and individual decision. He feels that each woman must be allowed to make decisions about her own health and well-being.
Further, Gov. Johnson feels strongly that women seeking to exercise their legal right must not be subjected to persecution or denied access to health services by politicians in Washington or elsewhere who are insistent on politicizing such an intensely personal and serious issue."
Source: Gary Johnson 2016, "Abortion and the Right to Life," garyjohnson2016.com (accessed Apr. 20, 2016)
Pro
"I stand by a woman's right to choose. We need complete reproductive healthcare, which includes the right to an abortion."
Source: Jill Stein, Twitter Post, twitter.com, Apr. 5, 2016
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Con (No)
Now Con
"[Donald Trump:] I am pro-life.
[Chris Matthews:] How do you ban abortion? How do you actually do it?
[Trump:] Well, You go back to a position like they had where people will perhaps go to illegal places but you have to ban it...
[Matthews:] Do you believe in punishment for abortion, yes or no, as a principle?
[Trump:] The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment.
[Matthews:] For the woman?
[Trump:] Yeah. There has to be some form."
Source: Maggie Haberman, "Pressed on Abortion Ban, Donald Trump Sees a Penalty for Women," nytimes.com, Mar. 30, 2016
[Editor's Note: Shortly after the above Mar. 30, 2016 quote was released to the media, Trump's campaign released a statement: "If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed — like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions."
In Sep. 2016, Donald Trump's campaign released a letter to the Susan B. Anthony List, stating that he was committed to: "nominating pro-life justices to the U.S. Supreme Court," "signing into law the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would end painful late-term abortions nationwide," and making the Hyde Amendment permanent.
Trump previously expressed a NOT CLEARLY PRO OR CON opinion, and a PRO opinion on this question. Read Trump's former positions on abortion]
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FORMER CANDIDATES
(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear below in black and white and in alphabetical order.)
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"I believe that it is an issue that is best left to the individual conscience of women, and in the meantime, as a society, we should do those things that we can to advance the dignity of every human life."
Source: George P. Matysek, Jr., "O'Malley Touts 'Progressive' Agenda for State," catholicreview.org, Oct. 27, 2010
Pro
"We are not going back. Not only are we not going to retreat on women's rights, we are going to expand them. We are going forward, not backward.
We are not returning to the days of back-room abortions, when countless women died or were maimed. The decision about abortion must remain a decision for the woman, her family and physician to make, not the government."
Source: Bernie Sanders, "United against the War on Women," huffingtonpost.com, June 30, 2012
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Con (No)
Con
"CHUCK TODD: Definitively, do you want to see Roe v. Wade overturned?
DR. BEN CARSON: Ultimately, I would love to see it overturned."
Source: NBC News, "Meet the Press - October 25, 2015," www.nbcnews.com, Oct. 25, 2015
Con
"Today marks the dark anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that overturned a Texas law that prohibited abortion on demand. Since that 1973 ruling, more than 55 million lives have been lost to abortion.
Defending life, at its core, includes protecting both the unborn child and his or her mother from an irreversible injustice…
I have been honored to defend the dignity of human life, helping successfully defend the federal Partial Birth Abortion Act, state parental notification laws, and Texas's law prohibiting state funds for groups that provide abortions.
No right is more precious and fundamental than the right to life, and any just society should protect that right at every stage, from conception to natural death."
Source: Ted Cruz, "Sen. Cruz Statement on 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade," cruz.senate.gov, Jan. 22, 2013
[Editor's Note: In addition to the above CON statement, Ted Cruz also made the following CON statement, as quoted in an Oct. 31, 2012 Houston Chronicle article, "Ted Cruz Says Questions about Mourdock Rape Comment Are 'An Unfortunate Distraction from the Issues that Matter,'" available at blog.chron.com: "I think that every human life is a precious gift from God and should be protected in law from conception until natural death."]
Con
"Science is helping those of us who believe in the sanctity of life to make our case every day. Science is why more and more young people are becoming pro-life. We know, for example, that the DNA that is present in the zygote is precisely the same DNA that each person possesses at the moment of their death...
We know now that a life in utero dreams, and can feel pain after five months...
Every human life has potential, and every human life is precious."
Source: "Welcoming Every Life: Choosing Life after an Unexpected Prenatal Diagnosis," heritage.org, Jan. 20, 2015
[Editor's Note: In a Jan. 2010 radio interview, as quoted in the article "Right Fight" by Connie Bruck, published June 7, 2010 in the New Yorker, Carly Fiorina stated, "I absolutely would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade if the opportunity presented itself."]
Con
"Since 1973, 60 million unborn children have died in their mother's womb. If I'm president I will invoke the Fifth and 14th Amendment of the Constitution and protect unborn life… What we need to be doing… with abortion, and the destruction of innocent human life, what Lincoln and the early Republican Party did with slavery 130 years ago, and that is bringing abolition to it."
Source: Maya Kliger, "Mike Huckabee Compares Actions of ISIS to Abortion," www.desmoinesregister.com, Aug. 26, 2015
Con
"I am 100% pro-life. I believe life begins at conception and that abortion takes the life of an innocent human being. It is the duty of our government to protect this life as a right guaranteed under the Constitution. For this reason, I introduced S. 583, the Life at Conception Act on March 14, 2013. This bill would extend the Constitutional protection of life to the unborn from the time of conception.
It is unconscionable that government would facilitate the taking of innocent life. I have stated many times that I will always support legislation that would end abortion or lead us in the direction of ending abortion."
Source: Rand Paul, "Advocating for Sanctity of Life," paul.senate.gov (accessed Aug. 19, 2015)
Con
"KELLY: You don't favor a rape and incest exception?
RUBIO: I have never said that. And I have never advocated that. What I have advocated is that we pass law in this country that says all human life at every stage of its development is worthy of protection. In fact, I think that law already exists. It is called the Constitution of the United States...
And let me go further. I believe that every single human being is entitled to the protection of our laws, whether they can vote or not. Whether they can speak or not. Whether they can hire a lawyer or not. Whether they have a birth certificate or not. And I think future generations will look back at this history of our country and call us barbarians for murdering millions of babies who we never gave them a chance to live."
Source: CBS News, "Transcript of the 2015 GOP Debate (9pm), Aug. 7, 2015
[Editor's Note: In addition to the above Con statement, Marco Rubio also made the following CON statement on his campaign website page "Protecting Life at Every Stage," available at marcorubio.com: "I believe that Roe v. Wade was not only morally wrong, but it was a poorly decided legal precedent and should be overturned."]
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Not Clearly Pro or Con
"Here's my record: As governor of the state of Florida, I defunded Planned Parenthood. I created a culture of life in our state...
We were the only state to appropriate money for crisis pregnancy centers. We expand dramatically the number adoptions out of our foster care system. We did parental notification laws. We ended partial-birth abortion. We did all of this and we were the first state to do a 'choose life' license plate. Now 29 states have done it, and tens of millions of dollars have gone to create a culture where more people, more babies are adopted...
My record is clear. My record as a pro-life governor is not in dispute. I am completely pro-life, and I believe that we should have a culture of life. It's informed by my faith from beginning to end...
And I did this not just as it related to unborn babies; I did it at the end of life issues as well. This is something that goes way beyond politics. And I hope one day we get to the point where we respect life in its fullest form across the board."
Source: CBS News, "Transcript of the 2015 GOP Debate (9 pm)," cbsnews.com, Aug. 7, 2015
[Editor's Note: Because our question specifically asks whether abortion should be "legal," if a candidate states that they are pro-life but does not advocate changing the law to make abortion illegal (for example, by overturning Roe v. Wade or supporting a constitutional amendment to do so), then we list them as “Not Clearly Pro or Con.” In addition to the Not Clearly Pro or Con (NC) statement above, Jeb Bush also made the following (NC) statement during his 1998 gubernatorial bid, as quoted in the Jan. 30, 2015 article "Jeb Bush's Conservative Bid For Governor: The Highlight Reel," available at huffingtonpost.com:
"I believe that life begins at conception. I do not believe that the question of abortion will be solved until there is a broad consensus on the subject and until that time it is inappropriate to be advocating constitutional amendments. This is a typical wedge issue that politicians use today to strike fear that somehow people's rights are going to be taken away... I will not be leading the charge to overturn the constitution on this issue."]
Now Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I am proud to be a pro-life Republican. I believe that every life is an individual gift from God, and that no life is disposable... One proposal that brings Americans together is the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which would protect unborn children beginning at 20 weeks, or five months of pregnancy, based on their ability to feel pain. America is one of just seven countries that permits elective abortions past this point. We can do far better than this. I urge Congress to take swift action on this important issue."
Source: Susan B. Anthony List, "Gov. Chris Christie Announces Support of Popular Five-Month Abortion Limit," sba-list.org, Mar. 30, 2015
[Editor's Note: Our question specifically asks whether abortion should be "legal." Thus, if a candidate states that they are pro-life but does not advocate changing the law to make abortion illegal (for example, by overturning Roe v. Wade or supporting a constitutional amendment to do so), then we list them as "Not Clearly Pro or Con."
Christie previously expressed a PRO opinion on this question. Read Christie's former position on abortion]
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"There is no part of society more vulnerable and in need of our protection than the unborn. The inalienable right to life of every innocent human being is an essential element of a civil society. From authoring the Unborn Victims of Violence Act to co-sponsoring the Partial Birth Abortion ban, Lindsey Graham has a long history of leadership on pro-life legislation. The Graham 20-Week Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is the most important federal pro-life effort today. This essential legislation, authored and sponsored by Lindsey Graham, bans abortions at 20 weeks, when a fetus is capable of feeling pain. It represents a critical step toward reaffirming the sanctity of life and preserving the basic constitutional rights of the most vulnerable. We need a president who always has, and always will, fight for the rights of the unborn."
Source: Lindsey Graham 2016, "Protect the Sanctity of Life," www.lindseygraham.com (accessed Aug. 19, 2015)
[Editor's Note: Our question specifically asks whether abortion should be "legal." Thus, if a candidate states that they are pro-life but does not advocate changing the law to make abortion illegal (for example, by overturning Roe v. Wade or supporting a constitutional amendment to do so), then we list them as "Not Clearly Pro or Con."]
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"There are restrictions that we put in, we've done a lot of things in Ohio effecting abortions after 20 weeks, but until that law [Roe v. Wade] changes, that's the law. If the court makes a ruling, they make a ruling, but I think there are absolutely legitimate and constitutional restrictions that can be put on it."
Source: Michael Warren, "Kasich: Roe v. Wade 'Law of the Land' (Updated)," www.weeklystandard.com, Aug. 20, 2015
[Editor's Note: Our question specifically asks whether abortion should be "legal." Thus, if a candidate states that they are pro-life but does not advocate changing the law to make abortion illegal (for example, by overturning Roe v. Wade or supporting a constitutional amendment to do so), then we list them as "Not Clearly Pro or Con."]
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