Chris Christie has joined all the other potential GOP presidential contenders in supporting a ban on abortion halfway through pregnancy.
The New Jersey governor had been the only Republican eyeing the White House not to endorse the federal ban, which would make most abortions illegal past 20 weeks of pregnancy.
But on Monday he told Susan B. Anthony List he supports the so-called “pain-capable” ban, which is based on the idea that a fetus can feel pain beyond that point of development.
“There are areas where all Americans — regardless of being pro-life or pro-choice — can come together,” Christie said in a statement to the group. “America is one of just seven countries that permits elective abortions past this point. We can do far better than this. I urge Congress to take swift action on this important issue.”
All of the other Republicans angling for the presidency — including libertarian-leaning Rand Paul and moderate Jeb Bush — have said they support a “pain-capable” bill. Lindsey Graham, another potential contender, is sponsoring the bill in the Senate.
SBA List and other abortion-opposing groups have pushed hard for Congress to pass the bill, but an effort in the House to do so was derailed in January when some Republicans raised concerns about how it would apply a rape exemption. Republican leaders have promised they’ll eventually bring it to the floor.
Despite the current stalemate in Congress, the groups are hoping to keep the abortion issue at the forefront during the 2016 presidential election, as polls show that a majority of Americans support restricting abortion at least halfway through pregnancy.
“There is complete unity on the Republican side around this highly reasonable proposal to protect pain-capable children after five months,” SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement.
