Sen. Tim Scott says 15-week abortion ban could be winning ‘compromise’
Sen. Tim Scott campaigns for President in Oskaloosa on Thursday afternoon. (Oskaloosa News Photo)
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch
August 31, 2023
OSKALOOSA — Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott, campaigning in Iowa Thursday, said a federal 15-week abortion ban would make abortion a “much less political issue.”
Roughly 80 people gathered at the Iowa State University Extension in Oskaloosa to hear from the South Carolina senator and ask him about issues from federal spending to U.S. foreign aid to Ukraine.
Jeff Fowler, a retired obstetrician, asked Scott about his approach to the issue of abortion — and how he would combat Democrats’ “capitalizing” in elections on the restriction of the medical procedure.
While some states with GOP leadership have restricted or banned abortions following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, voters in both red and blue states rejected all ballot measures in the 2022 midterms limiting access to the procedure and voted in favor of enshrining abortion rights in state constitutions. Democratic candidates in the 2022 elections fared better than expected throughout much of the country, a result that some analysts linked to the Supreme Court decision.
Scott said that he supported the court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and believes the decision to regulate abortions should be left to states. But he said Democrats have already approved “abortion on demand, up until the day of birth.”
“If we’re going to have that reaction to the issue, you certainly need a president who will step in and have a threshold of 15 weeks,” Scott said. “States can make their own decisions up until 15 weeks. We don’t need to be in the company of North Korea and China for allowing abortions to happen after 15 weeks, I think it’s immoral to allow California or New York, Illinois, to have abortions the day of or the day before birth.”
Week 15 of pregnancy marks the start of the second trimester. A 2019 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation found less than 1% of abortions occurred at or after 21 weeks, often in situations where the mother’s life is at risk or the fetus is not considered viable outside the womb.
Ruthi Rogers, an Oskaloosa resident, said she is “pro-choice,” but that she supported Scott’s position as a “reasonable” compromise.
“I believe a woman has a right to choose,” Rogers said. “I think there needs to be a time limit on it, though.”
Earlier Wednesday, Scott held events with U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, including a stop at a crisis pregnancy center in Sioux Center. Crisis pregnancy centers provide resources for pregnant women and new mothers while encouraging alternatives to abortion, and do not necessarily employ licensed health care professionals.
It’s great to welcome @votetimscott to #IA04 to see what we have to offer to our families and our communities.
We kicked off the morning in Sioux Center at Guiding Star — a women’s healthcare center — that supports women on their journey through pregnancy and raising a family. pic.twitter.com/EsPSK274KT
— Randy Feenstra (@RandyFeenstra) August 30, 2023
A Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll found most likely Republican caucusgoers supported banning most abortions after six weeks, the restriction Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law in July after convening the Iowa Legislature for a special session. The law is currently blocked by a temporary injunction.
Though 58% of likely GOP caucusgoers said the so-called “fetal heartbeat” law “gets it about right” on abortion in the August poll, a March 2023 Iowa Poll found 61% of Iowans of all political backgrounds said they believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.
In the 2024 Republican presidential field, most candidates say they are “pro-life,” but had different views on how to federally regulate the procedure. Former Vice President Mike Pence clashed with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on the debate stage when Haley said Republican candidates need to acknowledge a 15-week ban would be unlikely to pass Congress.
Scott, who also spoke in support of the 15-week limit at the debate, cited a claim from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion advocacy group, that found a majority of American voters would support limiting abortions at 15 weeks.
“That would, in my opinion, make it a much less political issue,” Scott said. “But more importantly, it’s the right thing to do.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.
