NEW YORK (AP) – Abortion opponents vented their disappointment and fury on Monday after the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision to strike down a Louisiana law that would have curbed abortion access.
The ruling delivered a defeat to anti-abortion activists, but President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign quickly invoked it as part of a new appeal to voters – signaling its power to motivate religious conservatives who are a key part of his base ahead of November’s election.
Vice President Mike Pence summed up that argument, tweeting that the Supreme Court’s decision made one thing clear: “We need more Conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.” Underlining his case, Pence added “#FourMoreYears.”
Top pro-Trump religious conservatives noted pointedly that both justices he named to the high court dissented from Monday’s decision, aligning with Pence in making the case that Trump should get another term in office to potentially tap more conservative nominees.
The Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life and a member of Trump’s Catholic voter outreach effort, said the president’s “two appointees voted the right way” in supporting Louisiana’s ability to require doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.