Republican strategists are exploring a shift away from ā€œpro-lifeā€ messaging on abortion after consistent Election Day losses for the GOP when reproductive rights were on the ballot.

At a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans this week, the head of a super PAC closely aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., presented poll results that suggested voters are reacting differently to commonly used terms like ā€œpro-lifeā€ and ā€œpro-choiceā€ in the wake of last yearā€™s Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, said several senators who were in the room.

The polling, which NBC News has not independently reviewed, was made available to senators Wednesday by former McConnell aide Steven Law and showed that ā€œpro-lifeā€ no longer resonated with voters.

ā€œWhat intrigued me the most about the results was that ā€˜pro-choiceā€™ and ā€˜pro-lifeā€™ means something different now, that people see being pro-life as being against all abortions ā€¦ at all levels,ā€ Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said in an interview Thursday.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said the polling made it clear to him that more specificity is needed in talking about abortion.

ā€œMany voters think [ā€˜pro-lifeā€™] means youā€™re for no exceptions in favor of abortion ever, ever, and ā€˜pro-choiceā€™ now can mean any number of things. So the conversation was mostly oriented around how voters think of those labels, that theyā€™ve shifted. So if youā€™re going to talk about the issue, you need to be specific,ā€ Hawley said Thursday.

  • Zorque@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    So youā€™re a Republican who refuses to vote Republican?

    Are you one of them fancy ā€œcentristsā€?

    • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Heā€™s just an idiot. He voted for this and now he doesnā€™t like it. Probably just wanted lower taxes without all the ā€œpoliciesā€.