Lindsey Graham defends 15-week abortion ban and denies being ‘inconsistent’ over states’ rights

‘I’m pro-life even in an election year,’ the South Carolina Republican says

Senator Lindsey Graham defended his decision to propose legislation to ban abortion at 15 weeks despite previously saying that states should decide abortion.

The South CarolinaRepublican introduced the legislation last week that would ban abortion at 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape and incest. Mr Graham defended himself from criticisms that his legislation would hurt Republicans in the midterm election in November.

“First off let me say I’m pro-life even in an election year,” he told Fox News’s Shannon Bream. “And to those who suggest that being pro-life is losing politics, I reject that.”

Mr Graham then blamed Democrats and said that the legislation they proposed a few months ago – the Women’s Health Protection Act which passed the House – would allow for abortion until the moment of birth.

“What did I do in response?” he said. “I said at 15 weeks when the baby can feel pain, it sucks its thumb, that we’re going to ban abortion, except in the cases of rape, incest, life of the mother.”

When asked about whether Mr Graham changed his mind from when he told CNN last month that states should decide same-sex marriage and abortion, he defended his stance. Mr Graham said that his position was consistent with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v Jackson decision, which overturned Roe v Wade.

“Here's what Dobbs says: Elected officials can make the decision, state or federal — I'm not inconsistent,” he said. Mr Graham noted how he previously introduced legislation to ban abortion at 20 weeks and had 51 Republicans and two Democrats voting for the bill.

“To suggest that I’m new to the game opposing late-term abortion is ridiculous,” he said.

Many Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have sought to distance themselves from the legislation, saying that abortion should be left to the states.

On CNN’s State of the Union, Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota told Jake Tapper he thought abortion should be left to the states.

“But I think the states will come with a whole lot of different ideas about how to appropriately discuss abortion in general,” he said. “And then I think there will be a consensus over a period of years, but at this point, to have Congress to step back in to tell of the states we know better than this how to handle this is probably not the right direction to go.”