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Perhaps no issue is thornier for the 2024 Republican presidential primary candidates than abortion.

Republican leaders widely cheered the 2022 Supreme Court decision that 

, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. But since then, they have found that going too far on abortion restrictions can be a political liability.

The Dobbs decision and subsequent state-level laws restricting abortion access galvanized voters who support abortion rights. Every state ballot measure on abortion rights since Dobbs has come out in favor of abortion rights, even in red states like Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio. On top of that, the GOP's opposition to abortion rights has been blamed for Republican underperformance in the 2022 midterms, and 

As a result, Republican presidential candidates are 

: how to appeal to a party base that, to varying degrees, opposes abortion rights, without alienating moderates, independents and general election voters who favor fewer restrictions. The result has been many broad statements about "protecting life," without a whole lot of specifics about exactly what restrictions candidates favor.

For example, former President Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate, has dodged the question of whether he supports a federal abortion ban, not to mention what kind of gestational limits he would back.

Meanwhile, Democrats see protecting abortion rights not only as a moral imperative but as a way to drive voters to the polls in 2024. Abortion rights advocates are working to put measures protecting access to the procedure 

President Biden has never been a passionate crusader for abortion rights. But since Dobbs, he has been more willing to campaign on the issue. And as we've said, it's been a winning issue for Democrats. The question is how much it continues to drive voters in 2024, and to what degree other issues — like concerns about the economy, candidate age, or foreign conflicts — take over the conversation.

This piece originally appeared in the NPR Politics newsletter. 

 for early access and for more coverage of the biggest issues at play in 2024.

One of the biggest questions facing GOP presidential candidates is whether they would back a federal abortion ban. They have also given a wide range of answers on what, if any, gestational limits they support. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben has 

 say they mostly support abortion rights, compared to 37 percent who say they mostly oppose, according to an April 

While support for abortion rights is much higher among Democratic voters:

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Danielle Kurtzleben 

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Lexie Schapitl

It's been a major factor driving voters to the polls post-

, and one of the thorniest issues facing the GOP presidential primary field. Here's a dive into what to know ahead of the 2024 election.

It's been a major factor driving voters to the polls post-Dobbs, and one of the thorniest issues facing the GOP presidential primary field. Here's a dive into what to know ahead of the 2024 election.


What to know about abortion and the 2024 election

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