Recent events in the news cycle – such as Donald Trump's abortion policy statement and the ruling by the Arizona's Supreme Court to uphold the state's original 1864 law – have left Republicans looking uncertain on the issue.
David Closson, director of the Family Research Council's Center for Biblical Worldview pointed out in a Washington Watch appearance Friday that four GOP governors – Ron DeSantis (Florida), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Brian Kemp (Georgia) and Greg Abbott (Texas) – ran unapologetic pro-life campaigns in 2022 and won second terms in their respective states.
Closson told show host Jody Hice too many politicians are "falling for the media narrative."
That narrative has attacked the decades-old Arizona law as out of touch, but it was accepted and fully functioning until the Roe v. Wade decision was handed down in 1973.
"This is where we need to go back to our principles," Closson advised. "What are we fighting for? The pro-life movement at its best is fighting for babies, mothers and families."
Arizona law wasn't passed and then ignored
Closson pointed out the Arizona law wasn't something passed in 1864 and then disregarded. "It was in effect for over a hundred years. It's fundamentally disingenuous to watch the press report about this," he shared.
The law doesn't penalize women seeking abortions but penalizes the doctors who perform them. "Its subsequent recodifications even after Roe make clear the legislature's determination to keep it on the books," the Arizona justices wrote.
Closson argues Arizona's 1864 law is a good law. "It protects babies – and I'm pained to see even some Republicans tripping over themselves saying this is a bad law," he added.
And Trump is taking bad advice
Trump, meanwhile, seemed to minimize the overturning of Roe v. Wade, something for which he's claimed victory in the past through his appointments of conservative Supreme Court justices. In announcing his abortion policy, the former president said national restrictions on abortion are unnecessary:
"People forget fighting Roe v. Wade was right from the beginning, all about bringing the issue back to the states pursuant to the 10th Amendment and states' rights. It wasn't about anything else. That's what it was. We brought it back to the states and now lots of things are happening. Every legal scholar, everybody from both sides said, 'You have to get it out of the federal government. You have to bring it back to the states.' It wasn't about anything else," Trump said.
At the very least, said Closson, Trump is "getting some bad advice."
"There's a fundamental misunderstanding to say that Roe v. Wade was just about getting the issue of abortion back to the states," he continued. "The pro-life movement has been animated actually from the understanding that life begins at conception and that all human life is valuable."
Politics can be messy, but the issue is strong
The FRC spokesman said polling shows that life is a winning issue for Republicans if they present it with confidence and use facts and science to explain abortion in vivid detail.
"When we talk about these things – the baby's heart beating, and the baby being able to feel pain in 15 weeks; when we asked [Americans] where they stand and described to them the science of fetal development, the overwhelming majority … agree with the pro-life position," he claimed.
"[But] as Christians we have something even more than science," Closson concluded. "We have the God of the universe. We need to focus on our messaging. Politics is messy – but as Republicans and conservatives, we need to lead on the life issue."
