Republicans squabble over abortion as 2024 primaries loom

Abortion is emerging as one of the first animating issues and key point of differentiation in the nascent Republican presidential primary for 2024, with Trump, the one officially declared candidate, and various likely rivals already jostling for position.

Each faces a tightrope as they must demonstrate their hardline anti-abortion credentials to the base voters that dominate a Republican primary, then manage or mitigate the subject in a way that does not alienate independents and moderates in a general election.

Voters were not fooled and Republicans underperformed, losing a seat in the Senate and gaining only a 10-seat majority in the House of Representatives. Anti-abortion extremists such as Tudor Dixon in Michigan, Adam Laxalt in Nevada and Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania crashed and burned.

Among them is Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida currently leading Trump in some polls, who in April signed a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape or incest.