RNC chair on Alabama abortion bill: I would have exceptions for rape, incest

Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel suggested Friday that Alabama’s new abortion law goes too far.

McDaniel, asked about Alabama’s law which does not grant exceptions for rape or incest, said “personally, I would have the exceptions.”

{mosads}“That’s my personal belief. But we are a party that is a broad tent,” she said. “There’s Republicans on varying degrees of this issue. It’s a very personal issue, [but] we are the party of life,” she later added.  

McDaniel added that she doesn’t think the law, which is the country’s most restrictive abortion ban, will ultimately hurt Republicans, despite many in the party who have voiced opposition.

“I look at Alabama — it’s a predominantly pro-life state, and they’re saying, ‘We want to let the Supreme Court decide … how far can states go to govern on this issue,’ ” she said. “Alabama represents Alabama.”

McDaniel went on to say that she didn’t believe Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion, went far enough in saying where states “get the right to determine governance on this issue.” 

The RNC chair’s comments came days after Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed a law banning abortion in almost all cases. Under the Alabama law, which Ivey noted is unenforceable, physicians performing abortions could face felony charges and be punished by up to 99 years in prison.

The law has drawn sharp criticism from both Democrats and Republicans who say it has gone too far in restricting access to abortion.

Fox Nation host Tomi Lahren weighed in on Alabama’s new law, calling the legislation “too restrictive.” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Thursday he believes the law goes too far.

Several of the more than 20 people running for the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential nomination joined a chorus of other Democratic lawmakers in condemning the Alabama abortion ban this week.

A number of bills, like Alabama’s, appear to be designed to force the Supreme Court to revisit a key component of Roe v. Wade that declared states can’t place certain restrictions on abortion.