Moreno supports federal ‘common-sense restrictions’ on abortion after 15 weeks

Republican Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno said Sunday he supports “common-sense restrictions” on abortion at the federal level after 15 weeks while maintaining the issue should be “mostly” left up to the states to decide.

“My position on abortion is crystal clear. I am personally pro-life. I think we have freedom of religion in America, so we should be able to have our own personal religious beliefs,” Moreno said in an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday” with Chris Stirewalt when asked about his “evolution” on the issue of abortion.

“I also believe that this is mostly an issue for the states, and that’s what President Trump has talked about. That’s what Dobbs did,” he continued, referring to the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion.

Stirewalt noted Moreno, in 2022, described himself as “absolutely pro-life, no exceptions.” During the GOP primary earlier this year, he also criticized a fellow candidate for opposing a bill that banned abortion at approximately six weeks, with very few exceptions.

Moreno, however, has since embraced the GOP national platform, which does not formally back a federal abortion ban. Instead, it says states should determine their own abortion laws. Stirewalt pressed him to explain, then, why Republican senators are “wrong about establishing some federal guidelines” that curb abortion access at the federal level.

“I do think that at some point, aspirationally, we get to the point where, after 15 weeks, there’s some common-sense restrictions,” Moreno said in the interview, suggesting he might support such legislation.

“But look, Chris, this is the only thing that Democrats want to talk about, because they can’t talk about their record of high prices, open borders, instability all over the world, an assault on American energy and a failure to stand up to China,” he continued, pivoting to attacking Democrats on other issues.

Moreno, who faces Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) this November, must walk a tricky tightrope on the issue of abortion, running in a purple state that voted overwhelmingly last November to protect abortion access.

Moreno still says he supports restrictions on abortion at the 15-week point, but, in interviews, he dodges questions when pressed about a “ban.” He also emphasizes the importance of health care for women and their newborns, as he touts states’ rights and attacks the media coverage of the issue.

“I have never said the word ‘ban,’ I don’t look at that at all that way,” Moreno told Statehouse News Bureau’s Karen Kasler in March, about a 15-week abortion ban, the Ohio Capital Journal reported. “What I say is that abortion is mostly up to the states and the states make those decisions.” 

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

This story was updated, including the headline, at 4:15 pm.