Trump boxed in on abortion as he tries to appeal to two bases heading into November
By Mabinty Quarshie
April 5, 2024 4:00 amAbortion will play a critical role in the 2024 cycle as more states allow ballot measures on access to abortion ahead of the Nov. 5 election, and for former President Donald Trump, abortion could be a political landmine.
The former president’s abortion problem is twofold. He must continue to appease Republicans who advocate abortion restrictions while winning over centrist and independent voters who may not be too keen on limiting access to abortion.
White evangelicals, who largely support restrictions on abortion, made up a third of the people who voted for Trump in 2020. Without that coalition, Trump would have lost to Biden by more than 20 percentage points, according to the Pew Research Center, making keeping their support crucial for the former president heading into November.
Meanwhile, securing the votes of moderates will be just as important for Trump, as Biden led him by 9 points, 52%-43%, in 2020 among independents. According to a recent poll conducted by the nonprofit health polling organization KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation, more independent voters trusted the Democratic Party on abortion at 38% than the Republican Party at 15% while 39% stated they didn’t trust either party. The poll is a potential warning sign for Trump as he rseeks to win over the coalition.
Trump’s hesitation to clearly define where he stands on a federal abortion ban comes as he repeatedly brags that his presidency paved the way for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, his hesitation in defining his position on abortion hasn’t stopped him from garnering the support of those who support restrictions.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/2952839/trumps-two-fold-abortion-problem-heading-november/