Abortion Exemptions Are Dividing Republicans

Washington Post: “Banning rape victims from getting abortions is a step too far for Republican Party leaders, who have publicly cringed at Alabama’s sweeping new law criminalizing abortion in nearly every case.”

“President Trump, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY) and Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel have all said over the past week they support long-standing exemptions from abortion restrictions: if a woman’s pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, or if the woman’s life is at risk. The Alabama law contains only the third exemption.”

“Their statements — coming as state-level Republicans advance stricter abortion regulations — lay bare an underlying rift within the party and among antiabortion activists over whether certain circumstances make it okay to end a pregnancy.”