During the last commercial break, spouses & family of the candidates warmly greet one another and catch up as they gather to go to the spin room, a stark contrast to the awkward group photo the candidates seemingly didn’t want to engage in when they came on stage at the top of the program.
To clarify, Ramaswamy said that Issue 1 in Ohio will codify the right to an abortion all the way up to the time of birth, but actually the new amendment to the state constitution will prohibit abortion after fetal viability except when the mother’s life or health is at risk.
The candidates are all arguing over a national 15-week abortion ban. But just last night voters in Virginia rejected the same proposal in awarding control of the state’s two legislative chambers to Democrats.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin put the proposal — which included exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother — at the center of his effort to help Republicans gain control of state government.
Strategists had viewed the proposal as a test message for Republicans looking for a moderate reproductive rights policy and message to run on. And it failed.
Republican voter agrees with DeSantis on abortion
NBC News is watching the debate with dozens of voters at a restaurant in Keene, New Hampshire. The debate watch party is being hosted by the Cheshire County Republican Committee.
Jonathan Liptak, from Keene, New Hampshire said, “Ron had a great abortion answer. Pro-life is a losing argument, as seen in the last 2 elections. Most abortions happen under 12 weeks, and most people would support a 16-week ban. Absolutely not until labor. That should be the message to GOP and voters.”
Jennifer Baier in Dallas County, Iowa, said she favored Haley’s abortion position best of the candidates and was frustrated by the hard stance of the others. “I feel like we’re trying to legislate morality, and that’s never been the business of the government,” she said.
Scott’s answer here highlights the gray area where a lot of Americans live on abortion: They oppose total bans, but the further along a pregnancy is, the fewer Americans support abortion, per Pew.
Abortion played a role in the heated and expensive race for an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court between Democrat Dan McCaffery and Republican Carolyn Carluccio. Democrat McCaffery won yesterday 53-47.
Lauren Mayk covers politics for NBC 10 (WCAU), reporting throughout the Philadelphia region. She also hosts the Battleground Politics podcast.
Scott has used his support for a 15-week federal abortion limit to differentiate himself from, and call out, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis. At the last debate, he asked DeSantis on the stage if he’d sign a federal ban as president.
It is illegal to perform an abortion in Texas, including mailing an abortion-inducing pill like mifepristone in most cases. There is a very narrow exception — only to save the life of the mother or to stop a “substantial impairment of major bodily function.”
There’s an ongoing lawsuit over the latest law because abortion providers and women seeking abortions are confused about what is allowed under that very narrow exception.
Phil Prazan is the political reporter and anchor of the public affairs show Lone Star Politics on NBC DFW/KXAS.
Iowa voter says Ramaswamy has 'same energy' as Trump
NBC News is watching the debate with dozens of caucusgoers at a bar in Altoona, Iowa. The debate watch party is being hosted by Americans For Prosperity.
Gabe Conley, 30, came to the watch party unsure if he was going to caucus for Ramaswamy or DeSantis. After tonight’s performance, he’s leaning toward Ramaswamy.
“Everyone else on that stage is a neoconservative, traditional status quo moderate,” said Conley. Conley says he likes Ramaswamy’s fighting spirit. “He’s coming out with that same energy that Trump had in those debates, and any student of history knows that that went pretty well for Trump,” said Conley, a resident physician from Cherokee, Iowa.