Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., emphasized the importance of putting the abortion issue at the forefront of Democratic campaigns in 2024, asserting that Republicans would face significant losses on the topic nationwide.
During an extensive interview on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki,” Pelosi discussed abortion and the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. She argued that abortion remains a winning issue for Democrats and played a crucial role in preventing disaster for the party in the 2022 midterm elections.
Addressing the 2022 elections, Pelosi stated, “Everybody said we’re going to lose 30, 40 seats. Last time we lost five, and everybody says you had the wrong message. They were saying to me, you’re going to owe an apology to the members because Dobbs is in the rearview mirror. But it wasn’t. It was up front, and it is right up in front of women in our country.”
Pelosi’s interview coincided with former President Donald Trump’s declaration of himself as the “most pro-life president” in U.S. history. Former Vice President Mike Pence also marked the anniversary of Roe v. Wade by urging all Republican presidential candidates in 2024 to commit to advocating for a “minimum standard” 15-week abortion ban if elected.
Pelosi further expressed the need to reverse the Supreme Court’s decisions on Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, stating, “Our country has always been about expanding freedom. Until now, this court, ignoring its own precedent and the right of privacy in the Constitution… So we have to reverse that. And Congress has the right to do that one way or another.”
While Pelosi did not explicitly endorse court-packing, a concept supported by some Democrats since Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation solidified a 6-3 conservative majority, she did suggest the implementation of term limits for justices.
Pelosi’s confidence contrasts with Pence’s perspective, as he argues that Republicans will benefit from campaigning on the abortion issue. He cited polling indicating that a significant majority of Americans support a 15-week ban, aligning U.S. law with the policies of many European countries that restrict abortions after 12 to 15 weeks. Pence also highlighted the divergence between current U.S. laws and those of other Western European nations, characterizing the former as more aligned with North Korea, China, and Iran.