RNC Drives Platform Changes

Weakening pro-life stance dismays conservative voters

The pundits all predicted that abortion would be the big ticket item on November's ballot outside of the presidential race, drawing out scores of Democrat voters to oppose the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling and the "no abortion" stance outlined in the Republican party platform from the Republican National Committee down to the Republican Party of Arkansas.

Now it is, indeed, a big ticket item within the Republican party, which we agree could negatively affect conservative voter turnout: Details leaked over the weekend about changes being made at the RNC Convention this week to weaken the Republicans' strong pro-life platform planks on abortion (and religious freedom, traditional marriage?).

Conservatives are sounding the alarm, warning that softening the platform will negatively influence pro-life voters in November; however, party "populists and moderates" say these changes will help them grow the party base.

Yes, the RNC Platform Committee will gather before this weekend's public RNC Convention -- and, for the first time, the RNC has banned all media from today’s meeting in Milwaukee (including C-SPAN that typically broadcasts this important meeting). Plus, Committee members (such as Arkansas State Senator Jim Dotson and RPA Secretary Julie Harris) can't take in their cell phones and the new platform must not be removed from the meeting room.

UPDATE: Here’s details of the new platform approved by the RNC Platform Committee today in a 84-18 vote.

Conservative radio KBNW explained in this report:

In 2016, the Republican Party … adopted a strict, conservative platform around issues of gender and sexual orientation against the efforts by some of the party’s more moderate faction to soften that language. An identical platform was approved in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for party committees to convene and adjust language.

President Trump has insisted that he wants the abortion issue settled by the states; you gotta know his policy decision here is certainly influencing this RNC move.

It’s likely ballot issues of abortion and expanding marijuana access will both drive big liberal voter turnout in Arkansas this November. Will these platform changes affect the solid majority support Republicans and Trump have received from constitutional conservatives in past elections? Will this issue of abortion tip the scales?