Republican dodges questions over abortion rights in key Virginia race

“Republicans around the country have been talking less about abortion, in part because Republicans have faced a significant voter backlash in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade.”

As Donald Trump ties himself into knots to appear more moderate on reproductive rights after years of bragging about his role in overturning the constitutional right to an abortion, a down-ballot Republican in Virginia is following suit. 

Derrick Anderson, the Republican candidate in the race for Virginia’s 7th congressional district, released an ad last week saying that he is against a national abortion ban. That’s hard to square with his June 2022 comments that the US Supreme Court “finally got it right” when the conservative majority took away the constitutional right to an abortion. And this week, when pressed on the issue at a candidate’s forum in Manassas, Anderson dodged the question when asked if he supported a woman’s right to choose. 

“I support the states to be able to make those decisions that best fits those states,” Anderson said at the candidates forum. 

What that looks like in actual practice is a severe uptick in state abortion bans so that today 22 states ban abortion or restrict it earlier in the pregnancy than what was allowed under Roe v. Wade. And leaving abortion policy up to the states endangers the lives of women like Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old mother who died after she couldn’t access abortion care in Georgia, according to a ProPublica report that Vice President Kamala Harris plans to address in a speech on Friday. 

Watch Derrick Anderson’s response to a question about abortion rights: 

.@DerrickForVa refused to answer a simple question tonight: whether he supports a woman’s right to choose.

Virginia women deserve an answer. pic.twitter.com/GiFSizjdJL

— Virginia Democrats (@vademocrats) September 18, 2024

With abortion ranking as a top issue for voters, Republicans in competitive elections – be it for the White House or to represent 7th District Virginians in Congress – are tamping down years of harsh rhetoric about abortion in the hopes of duping persuadable voters. 

“Republicans around the country have been talking less about abortion, in part because Republicans have faced a significant voter backlash in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “It’s in the nature of politics not to get too far from your constituents if you can, and to avoid talking about issues that hurt your side.”

Anderson did not respond to a request for comment. 

SCOTUS finally got it right, and overturned a 50 year decision of federalizing abortions. As Justice Alito stated, the lack of a constitutional reference to abortion requires Roe and Casey to be overturned. https://t.co/cOT8lhDX7a

— Derrick Anderson (@DerrickforVA) June 24, 2022

Anderson’s stated opposition to a national abortion ban notwithstanding, his campaign has accepted contributions from House Republicans that do in fact support a national abortion ban. 

Derrick Anderson for VA, Inc. received $2,000 from David Rouzer for Congress in June and $2,000 in January from Latta For Congress, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Representatives David Rouzer of North Carolina and Bob Latta of Ohio were cosponsors for legislation that would have declared human life begins at conception. 

Anderson’s opponent, Democrat Eugene Vindman, believes that Roe should be restored as the law of the land, according to Vindman campaign spokesperson Jeremy Levinson. 

“We (need to) get these male politicians out of an exam room where only a doctor and a woman belong,” Levinson said in an email. “This is the reality he wants for his 13-year-old daughter who might be growing up in a reality in which she had less rights than her mother and grandmother before her.”

The 7th District seat opened up after its current representative, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, announced a run for Virginia’s governor’s mansion in 2025 after serving three terms in Congress. The competitive district is anchored by parts of Prince William County, Stafford County, and Spotsylvania County.

“Virginia’s 7th District is the closest congressional contest in the Commonwealth and is also attracting national attention,” Farnsworth said. “The way to a congressional majority is through largely suburban districts like this one, and both parties are investing heavily in making things work out for their side.”