TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — As a brand new election season begins, the Republican Get together is struggling to navigate the politics of abortion.

Allies for main presidential candidates concede that their hardline anti-abortion insurance policies could also be in style with the conservatives who resolve major elections, however they may in the end alienate the broader set of voters they should win the presidency.

The battle is unfolding throughout America this week, however nowhere greater than Florida, the place Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into legislation one of many nation’s hardest abortion bans late Thursday. If the courts in the end permit the brand new measure to take impact, it is going to quickly be unlawful for Florida girls to acquire an abortion after six weeks of being pregnant, which is earlier than most understand they’re pregnant.

Even earlier than he signed the legislation, DeSantis’ staff was keen to spotlight his willingness to struggle for, and enact, aggressive abortion restrictions. The Florida governor’s place stands in sharp distinction, they are saying, with some Republican White Home hopefuls — most notably former President Donald Trump — who’re downplaying their help for anti-abortion insurance policies for concern they might in the end alienate girls or different swing voters within the 2024 common election.

“In contrast to Trump, Gov. DeSantis doesn’t again down from defending the lives of harmless unborn infants,” stated Erin Perrine, a spokesperson for DeSantis’ tremendous PAC, when requested about Florida’s six-week ban.

DeSantis’ newest coverage victory within the nation’s third most populous state presents a brand new window into the Republican Get together’s sustained political challenges on the explosive social situation. In latest days alone, Republican leaders throughout Iowa, New Hampshire and Washington have struggled to reply nagging questions on their opposition to the controversial medical process as GOP-controlled state legislatures rush to enact a wave of latest abortion restrictions.

Latest electoral outcomes counsel that voters aren’t happy.

Republicans have suffered painful losses in latest weeks and months throughout Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada and even deep-red Kansas in elections that centered, not less than partially, on abortion. Final week in Wisconsin, an anti-abortion candidate for the state Supreme Courtroom was trounced by 11 factors in a state President Joe Biden carried by lower than 1 level.

“Any dialog about banning abortion or limiting it nationwide is an electoral catastrophe for the Republicans,” stated New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican who describes himself as “pro-choice” but in addition signed a legislation banning abortions within the state after 24 weeks.

“The Republican Get together has an incapacity to maneuver off this situation in a approach that doesn’t scare the heck out the typical voter, the impartial voter, the youthful technology of voters,” Sununu continued. “These guys maintain pushing themselves deeper and deeper into an ultra-right base that actually doesn’t outline the majority of the Republican Get together.”

Privately, not less than, strategists concerned with Republican presidential campaigns concede that the GOP is on the incorrect facet of the talk because it at the moment stands. Whereas in style with Republican major voters, public polling constantly exhibits that the broader assortment of voters who resolve common elections consider abortion must be authorized in all or most instances.

There aren’t any simple solutions as main Republicans like DeSantis and even Trump, who appointed the Supreme Courtroom justices chargeable for overturning Roe v. Wade final June, face large political stress from the left and the correct.

Anti-abortion activists have been significantly vocal in warning Republican presidential candidates that the social gathering’s base is not going to tolerate any weak point on abortion on condition that GOP leaders have been vowing for many years to ban abortion rights if given the prospect.

Earlier than this week, Kristan Hawkins, the president of the anti-abortion group, College students for Lifetime of America, was unwilling to explain DeSantis as a frontrunner within the abortion struggle.

“That is his alternative to point out himself as a frontrunner on this situation. That’s what’s thrilling about this second,” Hawkins stated of DeSantis’ six-week ban. “He has performed loads, however we actually wanted to see motion on the legislative degree. I feel this ‘heartbeat legislation’ totally cements his pro-life road cred.”

Katie Daniel, of the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony Professional-Life America, described Florida’s new legislation as “an enormous step ahead.” However she stated it was solely the start of what anti-abortion activists count on from main 2024 candidates, together with their final help for a nationwide abortion ban.

“The problem of abortion isn’t going away,” Daniel stated. “It’s not about saying you handed the legislation, examine the field, you’re performed.”

Such stress ensures that the problem will stay central to the 2024 marketing campaign as Republican presidential prospects start to fan out throughout America to courtroom major voters. At the exact same time, an escalating courtroom battle over entry to an FDA-approved abortion capsule is forcing GOP leaders to reply extra questions.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, lengthy a vocal abortion opponent, condemned the abortion capsule throughout an interview this week with Newsmax whereas vowing to “champion the correct to life.”

“We’re going to proceed to champion the pursuits of ladies born and unborn and pushing again in opposition to the abortion capsule,” Pence declared.

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley instructed Iowa voters this week that abortion is “a private situation” that must be left to the states, though she left open the opportunity of a federal ban with out moving into specifics.

And in New Hampshire, only a day after launching a presidential exploratory committee, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott outlined his help for a federal legislation that might ban abortions nationwide after 20 weeks of being pregnant.

“We should always definitely at all times facet with a tradition that preserves and appreciates and respects life,” Scott instructed reporters. “How will we do this? I definitely assume that the 20-week threshold isn’t a query in my thoughts in any respect.”

He tried repeatedly to refocus the dialog on Democrats “radical place” on the problem as a result of they often oppose any abortion restrictions in anyway.

Sununu, the New Hampshire governor, stated he counts Scott as a buddy, however was stunned that he would overtly talk about his help for a federal abortion ban in New Hampshire, a state lengthy identified for supporting abortion rights.

“Of all locations to speak a few federal ban of abortion, New Hampshire ain’t it,” Sununu stated in an interview. “He’s a superb candidate and does an amazing job within the Senate. However know your viewers right here, man.”

Republican officers in Washington are nonetheless searching for solutions as effectively.

Republican Nationwide Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel declined to remark for this text. Her staff pointed to a 7-month-old memo from her workplace suggesting that Republicans ought to spotlight Democratic officers’ opposition to abortion restrictions of any form, which the memo described as “an excessive stance.”

After the GOP’s midterm disappointment final fall, nevertheless, Republicans are more and more involved that such messaging isn’t sufficient to assist blunt the Democrats’ benefit — particularly as Republicans in key states proceed to enact strict abortion restrictions.

Republican strategist Alice Stewart stated Republicans should discover a option to maintain the concentrate on the failings of the Biden administration, the financial system, crime and training within the 2024 marketing campaign.

“Abortion poses a problem for Republicans. There’s no denying it,” stated Stewart, who initially cheered the Supreme Courtroom’s Roe reversal. “Politically, it has grow to be problematic.”

Campaigning in Iowa this week, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, tried to sidestep questions on his help for aggressive abortion restrictions. Earlier than leaving workplace earlier within the yr, he signed into legislation a measure banning abortion after six weeks of being pregnant; the legislation had an exception for the lifetime of the mom, however not for rape or incest.

Hutchinson stated that voters are extra involved with nationwide protection, curbing home federal spending and accelerating U.S. vitality manufacturing than abortion.

“I don’t see that as a problem that’s going to harm us long-term,” Hutchinson stated, referring to strict abortion bans. He stopped in need of saying whether or not he would signal a federal six- or 15-week ban have been it to return to his desk as president. “I’ve at all times signed pro-life payments which have come to me, however clearly I might wish to take a look at the invoice.”

And even in DeSantis’ Florida, there are indicators that the bold Republican governor is approaching the problem with some degree of warning.

Nearly precisely a yr in the past, a smiling DeSantis signed a brand new 15-week abortion ban into legislation throughout a raucous public ceremony flanked by Republican lawmakers with dozens of cheering supporters within the viewers.

This week, he signed the 6-week ban into legislation in personal. His workplace issued a press launch shortly earlier than midnight to mark the achievement.

And he ignored the landmark achievement altogether on Friday when delivering a speech to the spiritual conservative Liberty College. He did the identical Friday evening in New Hampshire as he solid himself and Florida as main the nation on a slew of “main points,” however didn’t point out abortion or the legislation he had signed the evening earlier than.

Christian Ziegler, chairman of the Florida GOP, dismissed any political issues by pointing to DeSantis’ overwhelming reelection final fall.

“I feel it’s very tough for anybody to say the governor executing a conservative agenda goes to harm him,” Ziegler stated.

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AP writers Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa and Holly Ramer in Harmony, New Hampshire contributed.