President Trump urged anti-abortion voters to defeat Democratic senators who voted against a bill that would prohibit abortion after 20 weeks, saying he won 10 states where such Democrats are up for re-election “by a lot.”
[Related: Trump touts record anti-abortion achievements, slams Senate Dems at Susan B. Anthony dinner]
“On this issue, like so many other issues, the Democratic Party is far outside the American mainstream,” Trump said at the Susan B. Anthony’s List Campaign for Life Gala in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. “Far outside. The United States is one of only seven countries in the world to allow elective abortions after 20 weeks when unborn babies can truly feel the pain, yet Democratic senators like Jon Tester, Heidi Heitkamp, Claire McCaskill, Debbie Stabenow, all voted against the 20-week bill and in favor of late-term abortion.”
“We’re nine votes away from passing the 20-week abortion bill in the Senate,” Trump added. “We have to get them out there. The Democratic senators are up for re-election in 10 states that I won by a lot. I think we’re doing very well.”
Democrats up for re-election in states that Trump won include Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Jon Tester of Montana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Bill Nelson of Florida, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.
Only Manchin, Donnelly, and Casey supported South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham’s 20-week abortion ban measure earlier this year.
Trump’s comments come after the administration unveiled a new policy last week that will prohibit Planned Parenthood and other organizations from performing or mentioning abortions at facilities that accept federal family planning funding.
