Abortion is already emerging as a top issue in the midterms with Supreme Court vacancy
By James Hohmann
June 29 at 9:34 AM
THE BIG IDEA: President Trump summoned to the White House Thursday night the two Republican women who will likely determine whether his nominee to replace Anthony Kennedy gets confirmed by the Senate and, possibly as a result, whether abortion could again be outlawed in America.
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who both describe themselves as supporters of reproductive rights, torpedoed Obamacare repeal last summer and voted against confirming Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, forcing Vice President Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote. But they’ve been reliable votes for the president’s judicial nominees, including several who had clear records as antagonistic to abortion.
Collins and Murkowski were joined in the Oval Office by the three Democratic senators who voted last year to confirm Justice Neil Gorsuch and are up for reelection this fall in a red state Trump carried by double digits: Indiana’s Joe Donnelly, West Virginia’s Joe Manchin and North Dakota’s Heidi Heitkamp. They were accompanied by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who will run point on shepherding through whomever Trump picks.
-- As the senators met with Trump, Fox News hosted a live debate in Orlando between the two Republican candidates for Florida governor. Moderator Bret Baier opened by noting that Kennedy’s retirement puts the future of abortion in play. “Both of you here on stage said that you would sign ‘the heartbeat bill’ here in Florida, which would ban abortions after a fetal heart beat is detected. That is viewed as a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade,” Baier said. “Given that, do you believe that the next Supreme Court justice should vote on overturn Roe v. Wade?” Neither answered directly, but both made clear that this is their hope.
“I am thrilled — thrilled! — that President Trump has a second opportunity to remake the U.S. Supreme Court,” replied Adam Putnam, the state agriculture commissioner. “Yes, I’ve said I would sign ‘the heartbeat bill.’ Yes, we need a constitutionalist on the bench … who will … protect and defend life. … I’m honored to have the support of the Florida Family Action Council … because they know that, as governor, I will pursue a pro-life agenda.”
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