Is Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon walking back his abortion stance?
Nebraska's Rep. Don Bacon is known for his conservative Republican views, anti-abortion stance and his ability to cross the political aisle when necessary. He's also known as one of the most vulnerable GOP members of Congress up for re-election due in part to the national debate about reproductive rights.
As a four-term incumbent who once embraced the endorsement of pro-life groups, questions have emerged since Bacon's campaign website seemingly removed the names of the same organizations based on the archived versions of the site, as first reported by Rolling Stone.
As of March, the "A" rating from the pro-life advocacy group Susan B. Anthony List and the 100% rating from the National Right to Life have both disappeared. Additionally, a section pledging to defend the right to life has also been removed: "As your Representative, I will always fight to defend the right to life."
Democratic analysts are describing Bacon's sudden withdrawal of previously sought-after endorsements as an attempt to hide his pro-life stance as he competes in a challenging and costly bid for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District which President Joe Biden won by over six points in 2020.
Bacon’s campaign manager, Matthew Zacher, stated that the change was part of a campaign website update from the last election cycle.
“This was part of a regular campaign website update from the 2022 to 2024 elections,” Zacher said in an email statement. "Don Bacon is proud of his pro-life record in Congress, and upon receiving updated 2024 endorsements from pro-life groups in Nebraska and across the USA, our website will be updated accordingly.”
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While running in four consecutive elections for the House, Bacon has won tight races, including beating Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas by less than two points in 2022. Vargas, who is running against Bacon again, has bashed Bacon for his record on reproductive health, most recently criticizing him on X, now Twitter, for not supporting exceptions for abortions.
In response, Bacon stated in a social media post that he has “always defended the life of the mother.”
Since his first term, Bacon has consistently supported pro-life legislation, including the Life at Conception Act in 2021, which aimed to establish a Constitutional right to life for humans at "all stages of life." He also signed letters of support with other Republican members of Congress, urging the Supreme Court to overturn Roe V. Wade in 2022 and another asking the justices to allow states to ban hospitals from providing emergency abortions.
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The career congressman has supported federal abortion bans with no exceptions, but Bacon also endorsed legislation that would block federal funding for healthcare that covers abortions, with exceptions in the cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. He also declined to support the 2023 version of the Life at Conception Act because he said it did not include an explicit exception to protect the life of the mother.
Republican candidates walking back or covering up their abortion stances is a common trend in this election so far, including in Senate races in Michigan, Ohio and Arizona, notes Senior Vice President of Communications Christina Reynolds for EMILY’s List. She explained that these issue shifts are the direct impact of the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ending a nationwide right to terminate a pregnancy with the Dobbs decision in 2022.
“It’s also clear that Republicans have seen the polling, have watched the election results since the fall of Roe v. Wade, and understand how unpopular their positions are,” Reynolds said.
Democratic candidates with pro-choice platforms have seen significant success in red states, like Gov. Andy Beshear in Kentucky and, most recently, Marilyn Lands, who flipped a State House seat in Alabama after running on I.V.F. access.
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Abortion rights are also expected to take center stage in Nebraska’s elections this year as well after the Legislature passed a 12-week ban last year. A potential ballot initiative aiming to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution is gaining steam across the state as reproductive rights advocates work to collect the 125,000 signatures needed by July 5 to make it on the ballot.
“There are a lot of things that matter to voters. But this [abortion] is a big one,” Reynolds said. “It’s a big one for younger voters. It’s a big one for women voters, including independent women who make up so much of that swing vote.”
Bacon will face Republican challenger and businessman Dan Frei in the state's May 14 primary. The winner will compete with Vargas for the seat in November.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Nebraska congressman Don Bacon flip-flopping on abortion?
