Republican Presidential Candidates Rally Christian Evangelical Base with Anti-Abortion Stance

The Battle for Evangelical Christian Votes

The main candidates for the Republican presidential primaries sought this Friday to attract the vote of the evangelical Christian base by declaring total war on abortion during an event in Washington, where the overwhelming support for the two favorites, Ron Desantis and Donald Trump, was evident, although the latter was not even present.

A Gathering of Republican Hopefuls

On this day and on Saturday, most of the Republican candidates meet for the first time on the same stage, albeit individually, at the “Road to Majority” conference, organized by the evangelical organization Faith and Freedom.

A Show of Strength

This Friday it was the turn of candidates such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Senator Tim Scott and former governors Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson, while Trump and the former ambassador to the UN and the only woman to have applied, Nikki Haley, are expected tomorrow.

DeSantis and Trump Dominate the Stage

If the intention to vote were measured by the biggest ovations, DeSantis and Trump would be the undisputed favorites to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential elections, although the former president had the merit of not being there and the applause for his figure arose when the “number two” of the governor of North Carolina, Mark Robinson, announced that he supports him as a candidate.

A Divisive Figure

In the same way, if the intention to vote were estimated by the biggest booing of someone who criticizes a candidate, Trump would be the winner of the primaries, after one of his rivals, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was the only one who dared to categorically reject the figure of the former president and caused numerous protests among the public.

DeSantis Leads the Charge

Of the candidates who spoke this day, the one who sounded most presidential was DeSantis, governor of Florida, who, like the rest of his adversaries, launched a ferocious attack against abortion, knowing that this issue is a priority for his party’s influential Christian evangelical base.

The Republican Script for 2024

DeSantis perfectly summarized what will be the script of Republican arguments to recover the Presidency in 2024: “The war against the ‘woke’ ideology.”

A Stand for Truth

“It is important to have a society rooted in the truth, do not tell me that a man can get pregnant and expect him to accept it, I will not accept it,” he said, causing laughter from those present.

A Champion of Conservative Values

DeSantis puffed up his chest after pushing a state law in Florida that prohibits abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy and lashed out at gender-affirming treatments.

A Focus on Culture Wars

Whoever is elected, what became clear today is that the Republicans want to focus the campaign to return to the White House on the culture wars that the US is experiencing, from further restricting access to abortion to curtailing the rights of the LGTBI collective or control what is taught in the classroom.

Pence Finds His Comfort Zone

The candidate who felt the most like a fish in water this Friday in this event of evangelical Christians was Mike Pence, a man of strong religious convictions.

A Consistent Stance on Abortion

Although everyone was talking about abortion today, until now Pence had been the most vocal proposing a ban after the fifteenth week of pregnancy at the national level, since Trump has been dodging the issue, DeSantis had barely made reference to it since who approved the veto in Florida in April and the rest had not been very clear.

A Defender of the Unborn

“All Republican candidates for president should support a ban on abortion before fifteen weeks as a national minimum standard,” said Pence, who recalled that he became “a defender of the unborn” after the Court’s ruling. Supreme “Roe v. Wade”, which legalized abortion in 1973 and which was revoked by that court just one year ago.

A Personal Connection

Like Pence, veteran politicians like former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have brought up their anti-abortion record, while Miami Mayor Francis Suárez, younger than them and the only Latino to have run for Until now, he turned to his personal past, even before he was born.

A Pro-Life Heritage

“I myself am a product of the pro-life movement, in fact my parents met at a pro-life protest,” he boasted.

Avoiding Confrontation

In their speeches, the various candidates basically ignored each other, with the only references made to another candidate by Christie, who did not go very well with the Trump-bashing move, and Pence, who did more a compliment than a criticism of the former president, despite having been very harsh with him at his campaign launch rally.

Acknowledging Differences

“I have always been grateful for what President Donald Trump did,” Pence said. “It was a privilege to serve as his vice president and while we had differences and still do, elections are about the future.”

A Millennial Candidate

For the rest, the businessman and candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, the son of Indian migrants, used his age, 37, to advertise himself as the “first millennial presidential candidate”, with a speech addressed to the most traditional sector of the party, in which he defended “that the life of an unborn is life and that there are two genders.”

A Call for Change

And Scott, one of the African-American candidates, focused his defense of abortion restrictions on the situation of black women and regretted that the Joe Biden government supports access to abortion.

The battle for evangelical Christian votes in the Republican presidential primaries was a key focus during the “Road to Majority” conference organized by the evangelical organization Faith and Freedom. Candidates such as Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump sought to attract the support of the influential Christian evangelical base by declaring a strong stance against abortion. DeSantis, the governor of Florida, was particularly applauded for his efforts to push a state law banning abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy. Meanwhile, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie faced backlash for criticizing Trump, highlighting the divisive figure within the Republican party. The Republicans plan to focus their campaign on culture wars, such as restricting abortion access and controlling what is taught in schools. Former Vice President Mike Pence, known for his strong religious convictions, also found support among the evangelical Christian audience.

Will the Republican party’s focus on culture wars, such as abortion restrictions and controlling education, ultimately attract or alienate voters outside of the evangelical Christian base

There is no definitive answer to this question as it ultimately depends on individual voters and their priorities. Some voters may be attracted to the Republican party’s focus on culture wars, particularly those who align with conservative or evangelical Christian values. They may see these issues as significant and align themselves with the party that supports their beliefs.

However, it is also possible that this focus on culture wars may alienate certain groups of voters. For example, voters who prioritize other issues such as the economy, healthcare, or social justice may find the Republican party’s emphasis on these cultural issues to be less appealing. Additionally, some voters may disapprove of what they perceive as an intrusion into personal freedoms or an excessive focus on divisive social issues.

It is worth noting that political parties and their strategies can evolve over time. As the demographic makeup of the country changes, parties may need to adapt their approach to appeal to a broader range of voters. Ultimately, the impact of the Republican party’s focus on culture wars in attracting or alienating voters outside of the evangelical Christian base will likely vary among different individuals and circumstances.