Republican Party platform on abortion is applauded by some pro-life advocates but disappoints many Southern Baptists
The Republican National Committee (RNC) released its 2024 platform that emphasizes the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of the right to life for unborn children – but some Southern Baptists say the platform falls short of protecting life at conception.
The platform promotes the state’s rights position of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump by saying states are free to pass their abortion laws, including bans that protect babies from abortions. It removes a call for a federal abortion ban, which some Republicans wanted to be kept in place.
The platform under CHAPTER NINE: GOVERNMENT OF, BY, AND FOR THE PEOPLE states:
“4. Republicans Will Protect and Defend a Vote of the People, from within the States, on the Issue of Life
“We proudly stand for families and Life. We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights. After 51 years, because of us, that power has been given to the States and to a vote of the People. We will oppose Late Term Abortion, while supporting mothers and policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments).”
The adoption of this platform comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. The landmark ruling returned the authority to regulate abortion to the states, prompting renewed debates and legislative actions nationwide.
The platform’s adoption is seen as a strategic move by the Republican Party to solidify its pro-life credentials ahead of the 2024 elections. By emphasizing the constitutional basis for the right to life, the party aims to galvanize its base and appeal to voters who prioritize pro-life issues.
Additionally, the platform is seen as possibly influencing future legislative efforts and court cases related to abortion. By framing the right to life as a constitutional guarantee, the RNC sets the stage for potential legal challenges and policy changes at both state and federal levels.
The Republican platform has elicited diverse reactions from both supporters and opponents. Pro-life advocates have praised the RNC for taking a firm stand on the issue, viewing it as a necessary step to protect the unborn. Pro-choice groups have criticized the platform, arguing that it undermines women's reproductive rights and autonomy.
Some comments were stinging, saying the Republican Party is caving on its moral responsibility to defend unborn Americans.
“For years, conservatives have relied on the Republican Party as the last political defense of pro-life advocacy. We have believed, or perhaps naively hoped, that the GOP would stand firm in defense of the unborn. But these recent developments indicate a severe compromise. By adopting Donald Trump's stance of ‘leaving abortion to the states’ – aka, unborn children don’t deserve equal protection under the law – the RNC has essentially abdicated its moral responsibility,” reads an anonymous guest post on the Dissenter Substack. “They have not just watered down their position, they have betrayed the very principles that set them apart from the Democrats.”
X/Twitter garnished many comments denouncing the Republican platform.
Jared Moore, a candidate for Southern Baptist Convention president at this year’s SBC annual meeting, posted, “If the Republicans change their platform to defend abortion based on the age of a baby in the womb, I will start a new political party or join with another & spend the rest of my life building it so my grandkids will have an abolitionist to vote for when I’m gone.”
“Dear @GOP, I’ve said for years that I won’t vote for any politician, or support any party, that doesn’t stand fully against abortion from conception until birth. That's not going to change in 2024. How many voters like me are you comfortable losing?” posted Greg Gilbert, senior pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church, Louisville.
Doug Sides, a Florida pastor posted, “I believe life begins at conception. I encourage pastors to actually listen to Kamala Harris. The Bush family talked a good game but never delivered. Trump delivered when it came to filling Federal Courts with pro-life judges.”
“I am disheartened by what’s happened in the GOP. The GOP platform may be subject to change, but God’s word is not. Southern Baptists ‘contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death’ and will insist that elected officials do the same,” posted Clint Pressley, recently-elected SBC president.
In a press release, Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, contrasted the positions of the Republican and Democrat parties.
“We thank the platform committee for its hard work ensuring that the party’s goal of protecting women and their preborn children is clearly stated,” said Tobias. “In contrast to what the Democratic Party offers to women and their preborn children, the Republican Party Platform offers life and hope. The Democratic Party is the party of unlimited abortion – even abortions late in pregnancy.”
As the 2024 elections approach, the debate over abortion is likely to remain a central issue. The Republican Party’s new platform continues its commitment to the pro-life cause – while be it watered down from 2020 – setting the stage for continued discussions and potential policy shifts in the years to come.
Related:
- 2024 Republican Party Platform (PDF)