Rep. Nancy Mace of North Carolina has once again made conservatives question her so-called Republican bona fides after she issued criticism aimed at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely believed to be considering a run of the GOP presidential nomination next year.
“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said after signing legislation last month protecting the lives of unborn babies the moment a heartbeat in detected.
“I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families,” he added.
Signed the Heartbeat Protection Act, which expands pro-life protections and devotes resources to help young mothers and families. pic.twitter.com/quZpSj1ZPk
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 14, 2023
For her part, Mace criticized the signing, which she decried happened “in the dead of night” though it was well-publicized in advance.
“Signing a six-week ban that puts women who are victims of rape and girls who are victims of incest — incest in a hard spot isn’t the way to change hearts and minds. It’s not compassionate,” she said. “The requirements he has for rape victims are too much, not something that I support. It’s a nonstarter.”
“I am a victim of rape. I was raped by a classmate at the age of 16. I am very wary. And the devil is always in the details,” she continued. “But we’ve got to show more care and concern and compassion for women who’ve been raped. I don’t like that this bill was signed in the dead of night.”
“And it puts him in a very difficult position for a general election in my opinion, which is why I have been so vocal on this issue,” she added. “I would like us to win. I would not only like us to win the Electoral College. I want us to win the popular vote. And if we can show the middle ground, which shouldn’t be controversial — birth control shouldn’t be controversial.”
While some conservatives have raised concerns that signing such aggressive pro-life legislation into law could hurt DeSantis’ political aspirations, several prominent conservative pundits online have pointed out that other Republican governors who have signed similar legislation in the past did not suffer politically as a result.
“Kemp signed a heartbeat bill in May, 6 months before defeating Stacey Abrams, who made abortion center to her campaign post Dobbs,” former CNN reporter Gabby Orr tweeted. “Similar case made here that a heartbeat bill might not actually harm DeSantis in 2024 to the extent critics believe it will.”
Kemp signed a heartbeat bill in May, 6 months before defeating Stacey Abrams, who made abortion center to her campaign post Dobbs. Similar case made here that a heartbeat bill might not actually harm DeSantis in 2024 to the extent critics believe it will.https://t.co/uk0ym1T7So
— Gabby Orr (@GabbyOrr_) April 13, 2023
AG Conservative, a popular Twitter account, responded to Orr’s tweet: “Same was true of DeWine in Ohio, who won by 25.”
“Abortion politics are complicated and often vary by area, but the places where the GOP really got punished on this issue are where candidates opposed exceptions or supported outright bans, not 1st trimester lines w exceptions,” he added.
