Trump, Pence and more make their pitch to Iowa voters — but differ on abortion

Multiple 2024 Republican presidential applicants and the ones proceeding to mull a bid for the White House pitched their platforms on Saturday to masses of Christian conservatives on the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual spring kickoff in Clive.

The back-to-back candidate discussion board allowed audio system to court docket a very important balloting bloc in Iowa, which can host the primary nominating contest for Republican hopefuls subsequent February.

The subject of abortion took heart level as GOP politicians proceed to stake out their personal stances on the problem.

Saturday’s tournament was once held in the future after the Supreme Court paused a decrease court docket’s ruling to limit get entry to to the generally used abortion tablet mifepristone whilst felony battles over the FDA’s approval of the drug play out in court docket.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and different Republicans emphasised their backing for limits on abortion get entry to, opposition to transgender rights and the significance of faculty selection.

Also talking on Saturday had been lesser-known presidential applicants Larry Elder, Perry Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Former President Donald Trump addressed the group just about. Below are highlights from the discussion board.

Donald Trump

Facing complaint from some abortion fighters over his place that abortion get entry to will have to be made up our minds on the state point, Trump defended his stance on restrictions by way of focusing on his judicial appointments whilst in workplace — together with effectively naming 3 Supreme Court justices, all of whom helped opposite the Roe v. Wade determination closing 12 months.

“Nobody thought it was gonna happen, they thought it would be another 50 years. Because Republicans had been trying to do it for that period of time,” Trump mentioned in his pre-taped remarks.

“I appointed over 300 judges to fill the federal bench with constitutional warriors who interpret the laws as written. I faced down vile attacks to confirm our three Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett,” Trump mentioned.

He mentioned he would proceed to “stand in defense of life” and, if elected to a 2d time period, he promised to paintings to curb transgender rights — which conservatives declare hurt society, drawing fierce outcry from LGBTQ advocates — whilst attacking the U.S. Department of Education.

“We will reassert the Judeo-Christian values of our nation’s founding. We will protect our heritage and traditions,” he mentioned.

Mike Pence

In the wake of the Supreme Court determination on mifepristone on Friday, Pence mentioned he sought after to see the justices ban chemical abortions, labeling the FDA-approved drug as “a dangerous medication,” even though docs and the U.S. executive say it’s secure.

“I think that chemical abortions, mail-order abortions that the Biden administration has now allowed should be banned,” Pence instructed ABC News after his speech.

He broke with the previous president, his former boss, pronouncing he disagreed with Trump’s view that abortion is a state-level topic although “I do think it’s more likely that this issue is resolved at the state level.”

“We’ve been given a new beginning for life in this country,” Pence mentioned. I believe now we have a chance to advance the sanctity of lifestyles.”

Asa Hutchinson

Hutchinson, Arkansas’ most recent former governor, centered his speech around faith, arguing that “our management within the public enviornment will have to mirror our as smartly.” Like others, he stressed his opposition to abortion while addressing Iowans.

“As governor I used to be pleased with the truth that we had been probably the most pro-life state. I signed 30 pro-life expenses over my 8 years as governor,” he said.

Asked about his presidential priorities, Hutchinson discussed eliminating “wokeness” in schools, which Republicans describe as a left-wing movement wrongly emphasizing identity politics, and advocating for parental rights.

“The maximum necessary approach to thrust back is by way of folks being engaged in our colleges,” he mentioned.

Tim Scott

Scott discussed the topic of life — not solely by focusing on abortion but through his view of American exceptionalism as it relates to race.

“We have without equal accountability to give protection to the way forward for this country no longer for ourselves but for Americans unborn. I might merely say, the lies of the left had been disproven by way of my lifestyles,” he said, reiterating what has been a key part of his persona on the political stage.

Scott said that while “the novel left are promoting a drug of victimhood,” he advocated that people could achieve whatever they work toward despite their racial identity or upbringing.

“We have to inform them the entire tale, the tale of fact and redemption, that America is the freest, fairest land within the historical past of the arena,” Scott said. “I can say this: With a praying mama, all issues are imaginable.”

Vivek Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur, also focused on race during his remarks, stating he would end affirmative action and shut down the U.S. Department of Education if he were elected. “Do you already know what it method to be an American? It method you consider within the beliefs that set this nation into movement,” he said.

Ramaswamy told ABC News before he spoke that he was “unapologetically pro-life” in response to being asked about the legal battles surrounding access to mifepristone.

“The scope of the executive state has reached a long way too large we’d like to constrain it,” he said.

Elder, a popular commentator, and businessman Johnson, who recently announced their own long shot presidential bids, also took the stage Saturday.

“The explanation why I ran for workplace is as a result of I felt like I had a duty, an ethical legal responsibility and a non secular legal responsibility. Our circle of relatives, our nation, is transferring clear of the Judeo-Christian values that based this nation,” said Elder, who unsuccessfully challenged California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a recall race in 2021.

Johnson opened his remarks by saying he was probably “too conservative” for the Iowa group before criticizing Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to repeal the state’s abortion ban.

“I say, let’s forestall all of this and cross on the offensive on the topic,” he mentioned.

One notable baby-kisser lacking in Iowa was once Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was once on the Utah GOP’s state conference on Saturday.

Some locals remain undecided on 2024 pick

Several Iowans attending Saturday’s event told ABC News they were largely undecided about their candidate choice, emphasizing the importance of forums ahead of the 2024 nominating process.

“We take our activity severely and I find it irresistible. And we now have been residing in Iowa a very long time. And we get out and see the applicants,” said George Wood, a retired businessman.

“You concentrate and ask questions. This is the one position within the nation you’ll do this,” he said.

Becky McKibben, a retired school nurse, said she was “no longer but 100%” on her selection.

“I believe it is excellent to pay attention what other folks have to say and pay attention a number of other concepts and what their ideas are on what they see because the imaginative and prescient for our nation,” she said.

Others said they already know who they want and are using every opportunity to see their candidate speak.

“I would really like Trump to be the president once more,” Juanita Blonigan, an IT worker said. “That’s what I would like. But I do not know if the rustic goes to permit that.”

Blonigan said Trump’s recent indictment in New York related to hush money payments made her feel “pissed off and pissed off” but her support of the former president has only strengthened since his recent court appearance, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.

“You know, I’m hoping that no matter it takes, folks will swing his approach and make America nice once more,” she mentioned.