In response to Michael Whatley saying Republicans will be forced to have conversations with their voters about abortion, DNC spokesperson Aida Ross released the following statement: 

“Michael Whatley, when you’re right, you’re right: There’s no question that Donald Trump and the rest of his MAGA minions up and down the ballot are going to have to answer for their extreme anti-choice agenda. Republicans have already made certain that voters are going to hear plenty about their far-right anti-freedom platform thanks to their plans to ban abortion nationwide, threaten IVF access, and rip away our basic rights. And as we’ve seen in election after election since Trump overturned Roe v. Wade, the more voters hear Republicans talk, the worse the GOP does at the ballot box.”

Republicans are absolutely going to have to answer to voters about their extreme anti-choice agenda to ban abortion nationwide, threaten IVF access, and rip away reproductive freedom.

Michael Whatley: “Every candidate is going to have to have a conversation with their voters about [abortion].”

Associated Press: “Trump says he will support national ban on abortions around 15 weeks of pregnancy”

Time Interviewer: “Are you comfortable if states decide to punish women who access abortions after the procedure is banned?” 

[…]

Trump: “Again, that’s going to be—I don’t have to be comfortable or uncomfortable. The states are going to make that decision. The states are going to have to be comfortable or uncomfortable, not me.”

[…]

Interviewer: “Prosecuting women for getting abortions after the ban. But are you comfortable with it?” 

Trump: “The states are going to say. It’s irrelevant whether I’m comfortable or not. It’s totally irrelevant, because the states are going to make those decisions.” 

Rolling Stone: “House Republicans Endorse National Abortion Ban”

Business Insider: “125 House Republicans — including Speaker Mike Johnson — back a ‘life at conception’ bill without any IVF exception”

Associated Press: “Republicans block Senate bill to protect nationwide access to IVF treatments”

The Hill: “Senate Republicans blocked an effort Wednesday to pass legislation that would federally protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF).”

Their agenda is overwhelmingly unpopular…

USA Today: “Americans overwhelmingly oppose the next goal of many anti-abortion activists, to enact a federal law banning abortion nationwide. By 80%-14%, those surveyed opposed that idea, including 65% of Republicans and 83% of independents.”

Axios: “Most Americans support abortion access one year after Roe v. Wade: poll”

Rolling Stone: “Nearly 9 in 10 Voters Say IVF Should Be Legal”

“The overwhelming majority of American voters — 86 percent — support keeping in vitro fertilization legal, according to a new CBS News/YouGov poll.”

Axios: “More than 7 in 10 Americans support access to medication abortion, and even more back the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to regulate drugs, a new Axios-Ipsos poll finds.”

“There’s widespread support for letting women obtain drugs for medication abortion from their doctor or a clinic, with 72% supporting — including half of Republicans.”

… and the more voters hear from them, the worse it gets. 

NBC News: “Abortion rights have won in every election since Roe v. Wade was overturned”

CBS News: “Abortion access proved to be a powerful force in 2022 midterm elections

Associated Press: “Lands, a Democrat who ran on reproductive rights, flips seat in Alabama House”

The Guardian: “Kentucky’s Democratic governor Andy Beshear re-elected in win for abortion rights”

Slate: “Republicans Put Abortion on the Ballot in Virginia. It Went as Well as You’d Expect.”

“This is not a winning issue for the GOP.”

Teen Vogue: “2024 Election: Tom Suozzi’s Win Proves That Abortion Is a Winning Issue”

Orlando Sentinel: “Focus on abortion rights, insurance powered Keen’s victory, Democrats say”

Associated Press: “Abortion drives liberal’s win in Wisconsin court election”