Republican candidates downplay past anti-abortion stances ahead of 2024 election

Republican candidates in close races across the country who once fervently backed severe abortion restrictions are shifting how they talk about the issue.  

On social media, in public comments and in talking points on their websites, candidates are shying away from past hard-line positions and softening their stances. In some cases, the changes have been overt, with candidates reversing course on supporting outright bans on abortion or even denying they ever opposed it.  

But in others, the shift has been more subtle and nuanced, with candidates altering or deleting previous statements, or de-emphasizing stances that had been more central to their platform just a few years ago.  

CNN’s KFile examined more than a dozen competitive races at various levels and found examples of Republicans shifting or downplaying their positions on abortion following the Supreme Court’s landmark 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned a nationwide right for women to have an abortion.  

Since that decision, voters have affirmed abortion rights in every state that has put the issue on the ballot. The 2022 midterm elections also saw a number of anti-abortion Republicans lose, dissolving GOP hopes for a ‘red wave’ that year.   

Ahead of this year’s election, some of those losing candidates are trying to rebrand themselves by moderating their positions on abortion. Others, including some incumbents, are avoiding the issue entirely as anti-abortion rhetoric and policies are seen as politically toxic. 

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, announced on Monday that abortion rights should be left to the states, effectively punting on Republican calls for a federal abortion ban in what appears to be an effort to neutralize the politically fraught issue for his party up and down the ticket in November. Trump himself has shifted on abortion repeatedly over the past 25 years. 

Also this week, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the state must adhere to a 160-year-old law banning nearly all abortions, with exceptions only to save the life of the mother, further complicating things for a handful of Republican candidates in the state who have previously expressed anti-abortion stances.  

A CNN analysis found that a majority of candidates who have moderated their stances on abortion hail from states where the procedure remains legal, a reflection of the popular opinion in their states toward the issue and the challenging current politics of abortion.

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Kari Lake

Running for: US Senate in Arizona 

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Kari Lake, a former news anchor who lost her bid for Arizona governor in 2022, said in an interview that year that she was “pro-life 1000%.” 

“This push to brainwash our children, an entire generation of young people, to think that the execution, the sacrifice, the killing of a baby in the mother's womb is in any way health care is just outrageous,” she said in June 2022.  

Following the Dobbs decision, Lake also said that she was “thrilled” at the prospect of an arcane law from when the state was still a territory taking effect. The law, known as 13-3603, effectively bans all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, and makes it punishable to help a woman obtain an abortion by up to five years in state prison. 

"I'm incredibly thrilled that we are going to have a great law that's already on the books," Lake said on a conservative radio show in 2022. "I believe it's ARS 13-3603, so it will prohibit abortion in Arizona, except to save the life of a mother. And I think we're going to be paving the way and setting course for other states to follow."  

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the state must adhere to that law, barring all abortions except to save the life of the mother.  

Afterward, Lake said in a statement, “I oppose today's ruling, and I am calling on [Arizona Democratic Gov.] Katie Hobbs and the State Legislature to come up with an immediate common sense solution that Arizonans can support. Ultimately, Arizona voters will make the decision on the ballot come November."

The law has not gone into effect yet—abortion is currently legal for up to 15 weeks in Arizona. 

Now, as the likely Republican nominee for Senate from Arizona, Lake says she recognizes that abortion is decided by the states. She also said last month that Arizona’s 15-week limit is “a good law.” 

A campaign spokesperson told CNN: “Kari Lake is personally pro-life. Her position on a federal abortion ban is clear: she opposes it. Just like President Trump, Kari is opposed to the territorial law and is calling on the State Legislature to fix the issue. Her focus is on saving babies and helping women through protecting IVF, baby bonuses, child tax credits, and paid family leave.” 

Mike Rogers

Running for: US Senate in Michigan 

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As a congressman in 2010, Michigan Republican Mike Rogers said he supported abortion under only one circumstance.  

“I believe abortions should be legal only to prevent the death of the mother,” he said in a local interview. While serving in the US House before Roe v. Wade was overturned, Rogers consistently voted for 20-week abortion bans. 

But in September 2023, as a candidate for US Senate, Rogers pledged not to support federal laws limiting abortion if they contradict Michigan's law.  Abortion is currently legal in Michigan up to 24 weeks for adults. 

In response to a request for comment from CNN, Rogers said in a statement: “The people of Michigan spoke in a loud voice in 2022 and this is a settled issue in our state. I will take no position as their voice in Washington that is at odds with the Michigan Constitution.” 

Eric Hovde 

Running for: US Senate in Wisconsin 

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A dozen years ago, businessman Eric Hovde launched a campaign for US Senate from Wisconsin in which he said he was “totally opposed to abortion.” Hovde, a wealthy businessman, lost that 2012 race in the Republican primary. 

After he announced his campaign for Senate in February, Hovde said that his stance on abortion included exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother and that abortion policy should be left to state voters.  

A Hovde spokesperson told CNN: “Eric Hovde has always supported exceptions in the cases of rape, incest, or harm to the mother. 

“His position is as follows: 1) Issue should be decided at the state level via referendum; 2) Exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother; 3) There should be a period of time at the beginning of a pregnancy for a woman to make a decision.” 

Dave McCormick 

Running for: US Senate in Pennsylvania 

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A former hedge fund manager and Treasury Department official in the George W. Bush administration, Dave McCormick ran for the 2022 Republican nomination for US Senate from Pennsylvania, eventually losing to Mehmet Oz, who in turn lost to Democrat John Fetterman in the general election.  

When asked directly at a candidate forum in April 2022 — two months before the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision — whether he supported exceptions for abortion, McCormick answered, “I believe in the very rare instances there should be exceptions for the life of the mother.” On his campaign website at the time, he wrote that he is “staunchly pro-life and believes that life begins at conception.” 

Following that candidate forum, it was widely reported by national and local media outlets that McCormick supported only exceptions for the life of the mother in “very rare instances.” 

Now running for Pennsylvania’s other Senate seat, McCormick says he supports exceptions in the cases of rape, incest and health of the mother. 

A spokesperson for the McCormick campaign said in a statement to CNN, “Dave recognizes that this is an incredibly polarizing issue and we need to seek policies that unify the country. Dave is pro-life, is opposed to a national abortion ban, and supports exceptions in the cases of rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother. In Pennsylvania, the current law, supported by both Republicans and Democrats, means abortion is legal through 24 weeks.” 

The McCormick campaign also provided CNN audio from what they say is a February 2022 event in which McCormick expressed support for exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. The campaign also pointed to a flyer from an unaffiliated PAC sent in May 2022 that indicated McCormick supported exceptions in the case of rape and incest.  

CNN asked the campaign to explain why McCormick described his position the way he did in April 2022, when he said he supported abortion only in cases in which the life of the mother was at risk. The campaign responded: “Dave's debate answer was incomplete as he inadvertently left out the other two exceptions. As you can see from his other statements immediately before and after that debate, he's always supported all three.”

Sam Brown 

Running for: US Senate in Nevada 

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A retired Army captain who was severely burned while deployed to Afghanistan, Sam Brown’s position has shifted since he first ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Texas Legislature in 2014. During a candidate forum in January 2014, Brown said he supported a 2013 Texas abortion bill introduced by Republicans banning abortion at 20 weeks, which did not include exceptions for cases of rape or incest.  

“On issues of life, that is a nonnegotiable for me. We've got to do everything we can to empower our state, make sure that it stays on the books,” Brown said referring to the 2013 bill, which ultimately passed. 

During an ultimately unsuccessful bid for US Senate in Nevada in 2022, Brown answered a questionnaire in which he listed the only circumstance for abortion he supported would be “risk of life to the mother.” The campaign has since disavowed the survey, claiming in a statement to the Nevada Independent that Brown did not authorize the answer.

Most recently, Brown’s wife, Army veteran Amy Brown, said she got an abortion at 24 when she was five-and-a-half weeks pregnant just before she met her current husband. Sam Brown, now a candidate for Nevada’s other Senate seat, told NBC News that he “embraced” the state’s 24-week abortion ban and does not support a national ban on abortion, calling it a “state’s issue.” He said that while he is “pro-life,” he supports exceptions for rape, incest and the life and health of a mother.  

In response to a request for comment from CNN, Brown said in a statement: “Amy and I have spoken extensively about this topic and believe, first and foremost, that mothers who are facing an unplanned pregnancy deserve the utmost compassion and understanding. I am pro-life, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. Like President Trump, I believe the issue is now correctly left at the state level and applaud his leadership.”

Mark Robinson

Running for: Governor of North Carolina 

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Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and the Republican nominee for governor this year, has repeatedly backed a complete ban on abortion without exceptions. 

“For me, there is no compromise on abortion. It makes no difference to me why or how that child ended up in that womb,” he said in July 2020 while campaigning for lieutenant governor.  

Now Robinson denies that he wanted to ban abortions without exceptions and as CNN’s KFile previously reported, Robinson now avoids using the “a-word.” He has also admitted that he once paid for an abortion for his then-girlfriend, now-wife in the 1980s, an experience he says he fully regrets. 

In response to CNN’s request for comment, a spokesperson for the campaign said in a statement: "Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is pro-life because of the painful and difficult experience he and his wife had, and his faith. He’s said that as governor he would sign a [so-called] heartbeat bill with exceptions for rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in danger. Lt. Gov. Robinson also wants to turn North Carolina into a destination state for life by doing more to support women that choose life; like improving our foster-care and adoption systems; and preserving access to IVF.” 

David Schweikert  

Running for: US House, Arizona's 1st Congressional District

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Republican Rep. David Schweikert, who represents an Arizona district that Joe Biden would have narrowly carried under its current lines, proudly touted his pro-life record on his website from 2014 to 2020: “100 percent pro-life throughout his career, David Schweikert is committed to protecting and defending the rights of the unborn.” 

Now, Schweikert’s website makes no mention of abortion at all.

On Tuesday, Schweikert said that he did not support the Arizona Supreme Court ruling upholding the 1864 near-total ban on abortions.  

“I do not support today’s ruling from the AZ Supreme Court. This issue should be decided by Arizonans, not legislated from the bench. I encourage the state legislature to address this issue immediately,” he wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. 

His campaign did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment about his current views on abortion. 

Michelle Steel 

Running for: US House, California's 45th Congressional District

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US Rep. Michelle Steel, a two-term whose Southern California district would have backed Joe Biden under its current lines, co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, a bill colloquially known as a personhood law, that would recognize a fertilized egg as a person with equal protections under the 14th Amendment. The bill would effectively ban abortion in all cases and would threaten in vitro fertilization. 

But after facing backlash from voters following an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that reproductive rights advocates said could have a chilling effect on IVF,  Steel rescinded her support for the bill because she does “not support federal restrictions on IVF.” 

A spokesperson for Steel’s campaign pointed to an op-ed she wrote in March 2024 outlining her beliefs. “I believe life begins at conception. I am pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest, and the health and life of the mother,” she wrote. “I believe nothing is more pro-life than helping families have children and I do not support federal restrictions on IVF. Which is why when a recent court ruling in Alabama raised questions as to whether the Life at Conception Act, if passed, would ban IVF, I removed myself from that bill to not create confusion about my support of IVF.” 

Zach Nunn 

Running for: US House, Iowa's 3rd Congressional District

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US Rep. Zach Nunn, a former Iowa state legislator and Air Force veteran, made waves at a GOP primary debate in May 2022 when he raised his hand twice when asked if he supported a complete ban on abortion with no exceptions. 

Following the Dobbs decision, Nunn later said that he believed in some exceptions for abortion, including the health of the mother, citing Iowa’s “heartbeat” bill that would ban abortion at about 6 weeks but includes exceptions for rape and incest. He wrote in an op-ed in August 2022, “I wholeheartedly support the sanctity of life and believe that life begins with conception, but I also understand that there are real-world scenarios that aren’t black-and-white.” 

In a statement to CNN, Nunn said: “Good people can disagree on the issue of abortion. Here's where I've always stood: I’m pro-life, voted for exceptions, expanded access to contraceptives, and access to IVF. I oppose a federal ban and believe abortion policy is up to the states. In Congress, I’m fighting back against extremes in both parties and working to bring real solutions for Iowa families." 

Joe Kent

Running for: US House, Washington's 3rd Congressional District

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Joe Kent, a retired US Army Green Beret and Gold Star spouse whose wife was killed in a 2019 bombing in Syria, previously ran for this seat in 2022 on a far-right platform but lost in the general election to Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. The district would have backed Trump under its current lines by 4 points in 2020 and had been held by Republicans since 2011 prior to Gluesenkamp Perez’s win. 

The issues page of Kent’s campaign website in 2021 and 2022 mentioned that he “will work tirelessly to protect the rights of unborn children.” 

After the Dobbs decision, Kent said in July 2022, “I would move to have a national ban on abortions." 

Running for the same seat in 2024, Kent’s issues page makes no mention of abortion at all. In fact — the entire issues page has disappeared from his campaign website altogether.

In a social media post from January this year, Kent reversed his abortion position. “Post Dobbs decision it’s a state issue. I don’t support a national ban on abortion,” he said without acknowledging his previous stance.

Kent’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNN.   

Alison Esposito 

Running for: US House, New York's 18th Congressional District

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A former New York City police officer, Alison Esposito unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor of New York in 2022 on a ticket with Republican gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin. 

In that race, Esposito answered “yes” on a questionnaire from an anti-abortion group asking if she’d vote for legislation to “protect innocent human life from conception to natural death.”  

Now, running in a swing district for Congress, Esposito says she opposes any abortion ban nationally.  

“I do NOT support a federal abortion ban,” she said in one February interview  with local news in her district posted on X. “I believe it’s a state rights issue.” 

Esposito’s campaign told CNN that her position on abortion has “never changed,” citing New York’s abortion laws. “This is a states’ rights issue and Alison is concentrated on federal matters,” said a spokesperson. 

In response to CNN’s questions about her answer on the 2022 questionnaire, the campaign said: “Alison was answering as a candidate for Lt. Governor in 2022. She rightly still believes that the issue of abortion should be a state issue." The campaign also said she “believes in reasonable exceptions like rape, incest and life of the mother.” 

Tom Barrett 

Running for: US House, Michigan's 7th Congressional District

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Michigan congresional candidate Tom Barrett, a former state senator, once called himself  "completely pro-life, no exceptions” in campaign flyers he sent out in 2022. He once told The Detroit News he did not support exceptions for rape or incest, but that he considers “pro-life to be pro-life for the mother, as well.” 

In 2022, while running for this Central Michigan seat, Barrett removed the "values" section of his campaign website that vowed he would “always work to protect life from conception.” Barrett lost his race for Congress in 2022 by 5 points to Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is now running for US Senate. 

Now, running for the same seat in 2024, Barrett lists no positions on abortion at all on his website.  

A campaign strategist for Barrett, told CNN: “Tom’s position hasn’t changed. He’s consistently argued that this issue should be decided by the states and Michigan voters have already approved a constitutional amendment. Any changes to Michigan law will be up to the voters.”  

When asked if Barrett still did not support any exceptions for abortion, the strategist pointed CNN to the previous statement.

Yvette Herrell 

Running for: US House, New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District

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Former Rep. Yvette Herrell, a Republican candidate for Congress in New Mexico, was a co-sponsor in 2021 of a bill called the Life at Conception Act, which would recognize a fertilized egg as a person with equal protections under the 14th Amendment and effectively ban abortion in all cases and threaten in vitro fertilization.  

Herrell lost her seat in 2022 and is running to win it back.  

According to archived versions, her campaign website previously stated: "With a consistent Pro-Life record in the New Mexico House of Representatives, Yvette will be a tireless advocate for the unborn in Congress. 100% Pro-Life, Yvette believes life starts at conception and will never waver in her beliefs." 

Herrell no longer mentions abortion on her campaign website and campaign materials.  

In response to a request for comment from CNN, Herrell said in a statement that since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion policies are up to the states.  

“As a pro-life woman, it is important to me that we extend every option available to those who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy to help them make an informed decision, including access to women’s health care services, adoption opportunities, and counseling. I will also continue to fully support pro-family fertility treatments like IVF that provide hope for so many American families who want to experience the gift of parenthood, as well as supporting increased access to birth control methods.” 

Her campaign said she supports exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. 

Mayra Flores 

Running for: US House, Texas’ 34th Congressional District

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Former Texas Rep. Mayra Flores, the first Mexican-born woman to be elected to Congress, won her seat in a 2022 special election, but lost her reelection bid that November to 2022 Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez after the seat was redrawn following redistricting. 

During her 2022 campaign, Flores wrote, “I will always fight for the unborn and advocate for pro-life policies in Washington" and listed it as her second issue on her website in that race.  

Now running for the same seat, Flores excludes abortion from her list of ten campaign issues on her website. And she also deleted a 2020 tweet that said “abolish abortions.” It’s unclear when the tweet was deleted. 

Flores told CNN in a statement: “As a pro-life mother of four, I will always embrace life. I do support exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. I also fully support fertility treatments like IVF that have helped so many families experience the joy of having children.”

Monica De La Cruz 

Running for: US House, Texas' 15th Congressional District

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US Rep. Monica De La Cruz, also from Texas, removed from her website references of being “pro-life” and advocating those values in Congress.  

As a candidate in 2020, De La Cruz’s website said that she "believes that human life begins at conception, and she'll fight for that value in Congress.” She also listed "pro-Life" as a top issue on her page and stated she believed life began at conception. 

De La Cruz now makes no mention of abortion on her website at all.  

In response to a request for comment from CNN, De La Cruz’s campaign manager said in a statement: “Monica believes this sensitive issue requires common sense and compassion. Though this is primarily a state matter now, Monica supports a balanced approach that values human life and upholds women's rights. This encompasses exceptions for women confronting heartbreaking decisions, guaranteeing the availability of IVF treatments, and enhancing prenatal care services.” In a follow-up email, the campaign manager said De La Cruz supports exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.

Jen Kiggans

Running for: US House, Virginia's 2nd Congressional District

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Virginia Rep. Jen Kiggans, a former state senator, retired Navy helicopter pilot and nurse practitioner, won a swing district in 2022, unseating an incumbent Democrat.  

During that year’s Republican primary, Kiggans’ website said in May 2022 that she would “focus on passing pro-life legislation” and had “stood up against Democrats’ attempts to expand abortion access and force taxpayers to foot the bill for abortions in the Commonwealth.” The “Protecting the Sanctity of Life” bullet point was featured second in a list of her campaign issues.

By August 2022, two months after the Dobbs decision, the language “passing pro-life legislation” had disappeared from Kiggans’ website, and the abortion section had moved from second on her list of campaign issues to near the bottom of her issues page.  

Kiggans’ website added language saying that she “has supported expanding access to birth control and contraception,” and qualified her stance to opposing attempts to “force taxpayers to foot the bill for late term elective abortions in the Commonwealth.” 

In response to a request for comment, Kiggans’ campaign told CNN that the language does not reflect any change in Kiggans’ position on abortion. 

“The issues section was updated to provide additional clarity to her position and to help answer common questions she was getting on the trail,” said a Republican strategist affiliated with Kiggans’ campaign. “Providing more information about where she stands on the issue isn’t the same thing as a change in her position. Her position is the same in May as it was in August [2022].”