DeSantis says roles to play for federal and state governments on abortion

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the federal and state governments both have a role to play in deciding abortion policy in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. 

During an interview on Fox News on Wednesday, his first since announcing his campaign for president on Twitter earlier in the evening, DeSantis expressed concern about a Democratic administration and Congress “trying to nationalize” abortion throughout the country. 

He said the court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe, rightfully returned the issue of abortion to people’s elected representatives. 

“Dobbs returned the issue to the elected representatives of the people, and so I think that there’s a role for both the federal [government] and states,” he said. 

DeSantis said the movement against abortion has had “great successes” at the local level, but federal legislation to protect abortion rights would violate the rights of states such as Florida to institute their own restrictions. 

DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban into law last month. It is currently not in effect; the state Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of a 15-week ban that DeSantis signed into law last year. 

“I think that would be an abuse of power for them to try to override every single pro-life protection in this country,” he said. 

DeSantis said a “practical reality” exists that the country is divided on the issue of abortion access. 

“Some of this is a matter of strategy. Some of it is a matter of what can you do to be able to advance the ball forward,” he said. 

Multiple other major Republican presidential candidates have also weighed in on what their proposals would be on abortion policy if elected president. 

Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Wednesday she would sign a federal abortion ban into law if she received a piece of legislation calling for one as president, but she said she does not expect one to come together with the 60 votes it would need to advance in the Senate. 

She said Dobbs returned the issue to the states, “where it belongs.” 

Former President Trump has emphasized his own role in appointing three justices who were the deciding votes in the court’s overturn of Roe, but he has dodged on whether he would sign an abortion ban. 

On multiple occasions, the former president has called for exceptions to abortion bans in cases of rape and incest and to protect the life of the mother.