Abortion pill fight puts GOP in a bind
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Hawley in the Capitol on March 2. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Sen. Josh Hawley's push for a vote in Congress to ban the abortion drug mifepristone is elevating an issue that many Republicans were hoping not to address before the midterm elections.
Why it matters: Lawmakers and the White House face internal tensions over how far to go in limiting access to the procedure and risking blowback from women and swing voters.
Driving the news: Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced his bill last week at a press conference alongside leaders in the anti-abortion movement.
- It was a sign of frustration with the pace of a Food and Drug Administration investigation into the safety of the pills that Hawley helped spur last year.
- His bill also comes as anti-abortion advocates are showing increased impatience with the Trump administration for not taking faster action against the pills and for defending mifepristone against red state lawsuits.
What they're saying: Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser issued a statement last week calling it a "slap in the face" and "a disgrace" that the Trump administration is defending against the lawsuits in court.
- The Department of Justice is not defending the cases on the merits but has called for courts to stay proceedings until the FDA completes its ongoing safety review.
President Trump tried to avoid taking a hardline stance on abortion during his 2024 campaign by refusing to back a national ban and adopting a leave it-to-the-states platform.
- Any crackdown on the availability of the widely used pills would be highly controversial and portrayed by opponents as backtracking on that pledge.
Between the lines: While Hawley's bill won't get Democratic votes needed to advance in the Senate, it's roiling the waters within the GOP caucus.
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), locked in a tough primary, quickly endorsed the legislation.
- Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who's also facing a primary challenge, held a hearing in January on what he termed the dangers of mifepristone but hasn't said whether his panel will take up Hawley's bill.
- A Cassidy spokesperson referred to the senator's past work on the issue, including filing an amicus brief last month in a case over whether an in-person dispensing requirement should be reinstated.
While abortion doesn't rank as high as the economy or health care costs with voters, additional restrictions could eat into GOP support in key races.
- Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), who faces a competitive reelection race, told Axios he hasn't seen Hawley's bill when asked for his position on it.
- Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) likewise said he had not seen the bill. But asked if Republicans are talking about the issue in general, he replied, "No."
The other side: "This isn't about a political cycle, this is about protecting the health and safety of women, and also protecting the unborn," Hawley told Axios.
- "It's a foundational issue for the Republican Party," he added. "It is a foundational part of our coalition. Pro-life voters are absolutely [the] most rock-solid, dependable voters."
The bottom line: Republicans can't afford to alienate social conservatives who make up an important part of their base. But a big segment of the GOP caucus doesn't want to hand Democrats another issue they can use to boost turnout.
- "The administration must act now to restore trust with the base and protect GOP chances in November," Dannenfelser told Axios.
