{"id":2308991,"date":"2024-07-26T05:06:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T09:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-abortion-catholics-breaking-with-jd-vance-over-abortion-pill-comment-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-26T05:08:51","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T09:08:51","slug":"anti-abortion-catholics-clash-with-jd-vance-over-his-remarks-on-the-abortion-pill-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-abortion-catholics-clash-with-jd-vance-over-his-remarks-on-the-abortion-pill-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Anti-abortion Catholics clash with JD Vance over his remarks on the abortion pill &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fanti-abortion-catholics-clash-with-jd-vance-over-his-remarks-on-the-abortion-pill-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2308991&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Anti-abortion Catholics are expressing frustration \u200cwith Republican vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance\u2064 (R-OH) following \u200chis comments supporting\u2064 access to the abortion pill, mifepristone. Although Vance has built his political identity on an\u200b anti-abortion platform since converting to Catholicism in 2019, his recent statements\u200c have led some\u2063 social conservatives to believe he is compromising his beliefs\u2064 to align with President Donald Trump during the upcoming election.<\/p>\n<p>In a \u2062July interview, Vance indicated that he supports the public&#8217;s access to mifepristone, stating that &#8220;the Supreme Court made a decision \u200dsaying that\u2064 the American people should have access \u200bto that medication,&#8221; sparking \u200dbacklash from various anti-abortion groups and prominent Catholics.\u200d Critics argue that Vance misrepresented the Supreme Court ruling and his comments are inconsistent with Catholic\u2064 doctrine, which views\u2064 abortion as morally wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Commentators have\u2062 called for Vance to clearly define his stance on mifepristone to reassure his conservative Catholic supporters. While some believe moderating his \u200cposition on abortion \u2064may be politically pragmatic, others insist that outright support \u2064for access to abortion contradicts \u200dCatholic teaching. Vance&#8217;s \u200cresponses to these concerns, and his \u200coverall approach to the abortion issue, may influence his political \u2064future within\u200b the Republican Party as he gears up for a possible 2028 candidacy following Trump.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Anti-abortion Catholics breaking with JD Vance over abortion pill comment<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1708329\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/catholic-church\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Catholic<\/a> social conservatives are calling on Republican vice presidential candidate Sen.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jd-vance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> J.D. Vance<\/a> (R-OH) to clarify his statements about access to the abortion pill,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/2934604\/mifepristone-science-what-to-know-about-the-abortion-pill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> mifepristone<\/a>, saying that his latest stance runs contrary to his Catholic faith.<\/p>\n<p>Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, has made opposition to abortion a central part of his public identity and voting record in the Senate, but many social conservatives see his move toward the middle on abortion as a compromise borne of his desire to align himself with President<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> Donald Trump<\/a> for the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> general election<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While many of his conservative Catholic allies are willing to give Vance the benefit of the doubt if he moderates his anti-abortion positioning as a pragmatic matter, some think that he has crossed a line with his comments expressing approval of the abortion pill, considering that nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/2927308\/over-63-of-abortions-were-by-pill-in-2023\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>two-thirds<\/a> of all abortions in the U.S. in 2023 involved mifepristone.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Access to mifepristone<\/h2>\n<p>On July 7, before his nomination as Trump&rsquo;s running mate, Vance<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/meet-the-press\/meet-press-july-7-2024-n1310187\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> told<\/a> NBC&rsquo;s Kristen Welker that Republicans &ldquo;certainly don&rsquo;t&rdquo; want to reverse the Food and Drug Administration&rsquo;s approval of the abortion pill, mifepristone, which was the center of the Supreme Court&rsquo;s first case on abortion since the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dobbs-v-jackson-womens-health-organization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> <em>Dobbs v. Jackson Women&rsquo;s Health Organization<\/em><\/a>  decision in June 2022.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Supreme Court made a decision saying that the American people should have access to that medication. Donald Trump has supported that opinion. I support that opinion,&rdquo; Vance said.<\/p>\n<p>When Welker asked Vance to confirm that he supported access to mifepristone, Vance said, &ldquo;Yes, Kristen, I do,&rdquo; and then quickly changed the subject.<\/p>\n<p>Some anti-abortion groups, including the organization CatholicVote, have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3080439\/anti-abortion-groups-quiet-republican-retrenchment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>tried<\/a> to defend Vance&rsquo;s comments, arguing that he was merely referring to the court&rsquo;s ruling as it pertained to FDA procedures and that he did not owe NBC a direct response about the underlying question of medication abortion.<\/p>\n<p>But Michael Pakaluk, a professor of political economy at the Catholic University of America, said the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3040731\/supreme-court-upholds-fda-approval-of-abortion-pill-mifepristone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> ruling<\/a> pertained to the narrow issue of standing, or the plaintiff&rsquo;s ability to sue, rather than the merits of the case, meaning that Vance misled by saying that the court decided that the public should have access to mifepristone.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s not what the Supreme Court said &mdash; nothing whatsoever about [the idea that the] American people shouldn&rsquo;t have access to the abortion pill,&rdquo; Pakaluk, a longtime Catholic anti-abortion advocate, told the <em>Washington Examiner. <\/em>He said Vance&rsquo;s law degree from Yale should have enabled him to better describe the nuance of the Supreme Court case.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He has legal training, and he misdescribed the case,&rdquo; Pakaluk said. &ldquo;And he presented it as &lsquo;I&rsquo;m in favor of the abortion pill.&rsquo; This is completely unacceptable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) disembarks Trump Force Two at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, Monday, July 22, 2024, in Roanoke, Va. (AP Photo\/Julia Nikhinson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Catholics asking for clarity<\/h2>\n<p>Edward Feser, a professor of philosophy at Pasadena City College who has commented on anti-abortion politics, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Vance needs to explain whether he personally supports access to the abortion pill or if he merely meant to say he respects the Supreme Court&rsquo;s decision to not address access to the abortion pill.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think a lot of people who otherwise would support him and who are attracted to his candidacy in other ways would like for him to clarify his position, to reaffirm his long-standing pro-life position,&rdquo; Feser said.<\/p>\n<p>Peter Wolfgang, President of the Family Institute of Connecticut Action, referenced the teaching of Pope St. John Paul II in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicculture.org\/commentary\/trumpvance-must-undo-harm-caused-by-rnc-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>recent article<\/a> calling on both Trump and Vance to rethink their rhetoric on abortion. The former Pope approved of settling for &ldquo;incremental pro-life strategies&rdquo; when a politician&rsquo;s personal repudiation of abortion was well known, but not of outright support for legal abortion.<\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, Feser said, it&rsquo;s acceptable for a Catholic politician to not push an anti-abortion position in a moment &ldquo;because it&rsquo;s simply not feasible,&rdquo; but he or she cannot &ldquo;endorse a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/my-former-friends-have-joined-the-fascists\/\" title=\"My Former Friends Have Joined the Fascists\">pro-choice position<\/a> as a matter of principle.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;d be one thing if he just simply said, &lsquo;Well, the Supreme Court has made this ruling, and it&rsquo;s the highest court of the land, so we have to kind of go along with that.&rsquo; And it&rsquo;s another thing altogether to say, &lsquo;Yes, I support access to this abortion pill,&rsquo;&rdquo; Feser said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not a matter of theological nuance.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Several weeks have passed since Vance&rsquo;s comments, prompting some to suggest that he has had plenty of time to change course if he so chose.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesman for Vance&rsquo;s Senate office declined to comment directly on Vance&rsquo;s position on mifepristone and instead directed the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> to <a href=\"https:\/\/sbaprolife.org\/newsroom\/press-releases\/trumps-vp-pro-life-senator-j-d-vance-a-strong-pick\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>a supportive statement<\/a> published by the anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America after his nomination.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vance&rsquo;s public journey as a Catholic<\/h2>\n<p>In April 2020, Vance published an<a href=\"https:\/\/thelampmagazine.com\/blog\/how-i-joined-the-resistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> essay<\/a> about his conversion to Catholicism, describing the tension between his low-church Protestant roots and the deeper intellectual traditions that drew him to becoming Catholic.<\/p>\n<p>Over several years, Vance wrote that he &ldquo;began to see Catholicism as the closest expression&rdquo; to the faith of his grandmother, Mamaw: &ldquo;obsessed with virtue, but cognizant of the fact that virtue is formed in the context of a broader community.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Vance, who was not raised going to any church, also said he is both a novice Catholic and relatively new to institutionalized Christianity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I try to keep a little humility about how little I know, and how inadequate a Christian I really am,&rdquo; wrote Vance in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Other Catholic politicians, most notably former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and President Joe Biden, have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1530069\/catholic-bishops-adopt-communion-document-that-doesnt-mention-politicians-who-favor-abortion-access\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"sparked tension\">sparked a debate<\/a> in the American Catholic Church over whether or not they should be eligible to receive the Eucharist because of their public advocacy of policies to promote access to abortion.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast to those politicians, Vance has a record of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pence-guides-gop-to-reagan-style-conservative-anti-abortion-anti-tax-agenda\/\" title=\"Pence steers GOP towards Reagan-era conservatism, focusing on anti-abortion and anti-tax policies\">promoting anti-abortion policies<\/a>, and only the one extemporaneous comment suggesting he favors access to the abortion pill. <\/p>\n<p>Still, Feser said that in this case, the issue is &ldquo;not so theologically subtle.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Anybody who converts to the Catholic Church is going to know that the Catholic Church teaches that abortion is, in principle, evil and that no Catholic politician can endorse it,&rdquo; said Feser.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) speaks during the Ohio March for Life rally at the Ohio State House in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (AP Photo\/Carolyn Kaster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The GOP platform and the future of the party<\/h2>\n<p>Prior to earning a spot on the ticket with Trump, Vance had a strong record on anti-abortion advocacy.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;His courage in exposing the Democrats&rsquo; agenda of abortion for any reason, even in the seventh, eighth, or ninth month, helped propel him to a decisive victory in the 2022 midterm elections,&rdquo; SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement following Trump&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-times-vice-presidential-announcement-for-maximum-impact-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Trump times vice presidential announcement for maximum impact- Washington Examiner\">vice presidential announcement<\/a>. &ldquo;Vance&rsquo;s hardscrabble upbringing informs his compassionate approach to this issue.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Vance also was a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2431696\/jd-vance-urges-ohio-to-vote-no-on-abortion-ballot-measure-this-is-not-about-freedom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> speaker<\/a> at the Ohio March for Life in 2023 ahead of a referendum on adding abortion rights to the state constitution, which passed. Vance as senator has also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2453866\/vance-pushes-bill-to-benefit-stay-at-home-parenting-via-family-leave\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>supported<\/a> several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/theres-nothing-pro-family-about-tax-breaks-that-discourage-parents-from-raising-their-own-kids\/\" title=\"There\u2019s Nothing \u2018Pro-Family\u2019 About Tax Breaks That Discourage Parents From Raising Their Own Kids\">pro-family economic policies<\/a> with the intent of making parenthood more affordable.<\/p>\n<p>But Vance, poised now to be a successor to Trump for 2028, represents the future of the party, which this month stripped its platform of a commitment to ending abortion nationally.<\/p>\n<p>Some anti-abortion advocates have raised the fear that the Republican Party is shifting toward an abortion-rights position in juxtaposition, even as the Democratic Party becomes more aggressive in opposing limits to abortion.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Republican Party really did destroy itself,&rdquo; Pakaluk said, arguing in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecatholicthing.org\/2024\/07\/18\/reason-amid-the-ruins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>recent essay<\/a> that removing the anti-abortion plank from the platform severed its ties to the tradition of Lincoln that respects the sanctity of life &ldquo;in all states and jurisdictions.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Feser said that regardless of Vance&rsquo;s personal beliefs, there will be &ldquo;a very strong temptation just to let those issues drop at the national level.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think even many people who are willing to tolerate it for the moment are going to become disillusioned in the long run and give up their support for the party,&rdquo; Feser said. &ldquo;I think it is a miscalculation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1708329\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1708329\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anti-abortion Catholics are urging Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) to clarify his remarks regarding access to the abortion pill, mifepristone, arguing that his recent comments contradict his Catholic beliefs. Since converting to Catholicism in 2019, Vance has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of abortion, but some social conservatives perceive his recent shift towards a more moderate stance as an attempt to align with former President Donald Trump for the upcoming general election. While many of his conservative Catholic supporters are willing to overlook a slight moderation in his anti-abortion stance for pragmatic reasons, others believe he has crossed a line by expressing support for the abortion pill, especially given that nearly two-thirds of abortions in the U.S. in 2023 involved mifepristone.<\/p>\n<p>On July 7, prior to being nominated as Trump\u2019s running mate, Vance stated in an interview with NBC that Republicans do not seek to reverse the FDA&#8217;s approval of mifepristone, which was central to a Supreme Court case on abortion following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization decision in June 2022. Vance remarked, \u201cThe Supreme Court made a decision saying that the American people should have access to that medication. Donald Trump has supported that opinion. I support that opinion.\u201d When asked to confirm his support for access to mifepristone, Vance affirmed, \u201cYes, Kristen, I do,\u201d before quickly changing the topic.<\/p>\n<p>Some anti-abortion organizations, like CatholicVote, have attempted to defend Vance\u2019s comments, suggesting he was merely referencing the court&#8217;s ruling regarding FDA procedures and did not owe NBC a direct answer about medication abortion. However, Michael Pakaluk, a political economy professor at the Catholic University of America, argued that the ruling was limited to the issue of standing and did not address the merits of the case, indicating that Vance misrepresented the court&#8217;s decision. Pakaluk criticized Vance for not accurately conveying the nuances of the Supreme Court case, stating, \u201cHe has legal training, and he misdescribed the case. And he presented it as \u2018I\u2019m in favor of the abortion pill.\u2019 This is completely unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Catholics are seeking clarity from Vance, with Edward Feser, a philosophy professor, emphasizing the need for Vance to clarify whether he personally supports access to the abortion pill or if he was simply acknowledging the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision. Feser noted that many potential supporters would appreciate a reaffirmation of Vance&#8217;s long-standing pro-life stance. Peter Wolfgang, President of the Family Institute of Connecticut Action, referenced Pope St. John Paul II&#8217;s teachings, suggesting that while it is acceptable for a Catholic politician to refrain from pushing an anti-abortion agenda when it is impractical, they cannot endorse a pro-choice position.<\/p>\n<p>Weeks have passed since Vance&#8217;s comments, leading some to believe he has had ample opportunity to reconsider his stance. A spokesperson for Vance&#8217;s Senate office did not directly address his position on mifepristone but referred to a supportive statement from the anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America following his nomination.<\/p>\n<p>Vance&#8217;s public journey as a Catholic began in April 2020 when he wrote about his conversion, highlighting the tension between his Protestant upbringing and the intellectual traditions of Catholicism. He expressed a desire to approach his faith with humility, acknowledging his novice status in Catholicism. Unlike other Catholic politicians who have faced scrutiny for their pro-abortion policies, Vance has a record of supporting anti-abortion measures, with only one offhand comment suggesting he favors access to the abortion pill.<\/p>\n<p>Feser pointed out that anyone who converts to Catholicism understands the Church&#8217;s teaching that abortion is fundamentally wrong and that no Catholic politician can endorse it. Vance, who previously had a strong anti-abortion advocacy record, now faces concerns that the Republican Party may be shifting towards a more permissive stance on abortion, especially as the Democratic Party intensifies its opposition to abortion restrictions. Some anti-abortion advocates worry that the removal of the anti-abortion plank from the GOP platform could alienate supporters who value the sanctity of life. Feser warned that regardless of Vance&#8217;s personal beliefs, there may be a strong temptation to downplay abortion issues at the national level, potentially leading to disillusionment among supporters of the party<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2666,"featured_media":2308992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/JD-vance-trump-sign.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[9537,36264,13174,5673,32082],"class_list":["post-2308991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-anti-abortion","tag-abortion-pill","tag-catholics","tag-clash","tag-jd-vance"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/JD-vance-trump-sign.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2308991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2666"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2308991"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2308991\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2308992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2308991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2308991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2308991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}