Opinion: A new era for Republicans: Balancing women’s rights and the right to life

We’ve all heard it before — the GOP has a “woman problem .”

The party typically wins with male voters and has lost women year after year . One of my goals as a woman and a Republican is to change that. The Republican Party can do two things at once: protect life while also standing up for women.

This shift is clear in the new 2024 Republican Party Platform , released by the Republican National Committee.

The post-Roe GOP is now moving away from a federal ban on abortion and recognizing how complex this issue really is. The new platform strikes a balance by opposing abortion but making clear that it’s now a state issue, while also showing support for women and girls who are victims of rape and incest.

Just as important, the new platform promotes women’s access to birth control and fertility treatments like IVF.

This new approach shows we’re shifting toward a more nuanced strategy: respecting the sanctity of life, the 10th Amendment and women’s rights. At the end of the day, we have to balance all three.

While protecting life is paramount, we must also recognize that, sometimes, long-held positions need reevaluation. I’ve been shouting from the rooftops that the four-decade-old stance on banning all abortions is misguided, as are state laws without exceptions.

This isn’t about abandoning our principles; it’s about evolving to reflect the realities of what the American people want and what is possible to achieve.

Public support for legal abortion has remained relatively stable over the past several years. Currently, 63 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 36 percent believe it should be illegal in all or most cases.

The data do not lie. Americans are calling for sensibility on women’s issues, and it seems the GOP platform writers and party nominee Donald Trump agree it’s time we listen. We need to accept we can balance protecting life while respecting women’s autonomy.

Life is sacred and must be valued. But let me be clear: being pro-life does not mean we can’t be pro-woman. I refuse to choose between the two because we can — and must — support both.

The left, on the other hand, won’t tell you their limitations or even define their position. Ask Kamala Harris about support for Roe and you get a maddeningly vague answer. The vast majority of Americans (70 percent) don’t want to see abortions in the third trimester. And the dirty little secret is Roe actually allowed that in certain cases.

I support the Right to Contraception Act, I support exceptions on abortion and I support states’ prerogative to make policy. It’s not extreme — it’s common sense.

As we move forward, it’s vital we remember the importance of listening to the voices of women and addressing their concerns with empathy and pragmatism. The new Republican Party platform recognizes this need. Americans are calling for social sensibility, and it’s up to us to listen and act accordingly.

As a member of Congress, I am committed to continuing this fight to protect life and protect women.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R) has served South Carolina’s 1st district since 2021.

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