Despite the party’s poor performance among women voters in last year’s election,Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) said Thursday that it would be a grave error if Republicans softened their position on abortion, telling pro-life activists gathered at the Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List gala that it would be an “odd strategy” and a “cynical ploy” for the GOP to moderate on the issue.
“Our critics say we should abandon our pro-life beliefs. But that would only demoralize our voters,” Ryan said, as quoted by The Hill. “It’s an odd strategy, I think: the cynical ploy followed by the thumping defeat.”
The 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee acknowledged that a “careless remark or an ugly sign” can hurt the pro-life cause.
But with his forceful pro-life pitch, Ryan became the second prominent social conservative this week to push back against critics who are calling on the GOP to moderate on social issues. Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) on Monday dismissed the notion that the party would ever embrace same-sex marriage, and insisted that “it would be suicidal if it did.
