Politics

GOP candidates in swing House seats soften their messaging on abortion

Campaign websites are undergoing some subtle updates as New York Republicans in key districts pivot to the general election.

Republican congressional candidates Nick LaLota, above, and Brandon Williams have recently updated the abortion pages on their campaign websites.

Republican congressional candidates Nick LaLota, above, and Brandon Williams have recently updated the abortion pages on their campaign websites. Nick LaLota

Republican candidates in two of New York’s battleground congressional districts who favor placing more restrictions on access to abortion have updated their campaign websites in recent weeks to reflect some exceptions to their relatively hardline stances.

Nick LaLota and Brandon Williams, GOP candidates running New York’s 1st and 22nd Congressional Districts, respectively, have both made changes to the sections of their campaign websites that address their views on abortion. Where they didn’t previously mention any exceptions to their anti-abortion stances, both websites now mention that the candidates wouldn’t oppose abortion in instances of rape, incest or when the health of the mother is at risk. The changes appear to have been made after last month’s primary election.

“Brandon will always promote life while also standing with young mothers to ensure that choice is protected in instances of rape, incest, or life of the mother,” the current version of Williams’ website reads.

Williams, an entreprenuer running against defense policy adviser and Democrat Francis Conole in Central New York, had already expressed during the Republican primary that he was not wholly opposed to abortion in these instances. But that nuance wasn’t previously reflected on his website. Up to at least Aug. 30, Williams’ page on abortion read in full, “I am pro-life by faith; abortion ends all of the future possibilities of the life it extinguishes. No one is more vulnerable than the unborn and we must protect them. Federal tax dollars should not go to any abortion provider and we must support the education of expecting mothers to alternatives to the abortion industry message.” Whereas that section of the website was previously titled “Pro-life,” it’s now titled just “Life.”

LaLota, the former commissioner of the Suffolk County Board of Elections, is running against Democratic Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming on Long Island. Up until at least Aug. 31, a page on LaLota’s website titled “Protecting Life” focused on support for the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent reversal of Roe v. Wade and called for New York to ban third trimester abortions and institute stricter parental notification requirements for minors.

This section of LaLota’s website has since been expanded. “I do not oppose abortion in cases of rape, incest, or to save the mother’s life,” the page now reads.

But the updated page also goes into more detail about aspects of LaLota’s position on abortion that don’t appear to have softened at all. It now mentions that he doesn’t oppose just third trimester abortions, but second trimester abortions too. LaLota frames this as a middle ground position, however. “Abortion is a personal and divisive topic but I will lead the charge to find common ground – and that is eliminating second and third trimester abortions,” his website now reads.

“Nick's position on abortion has not changed. He remains in lockstep with the overwhelming majority of Americans opposed to extreme late-term abortion policies and in support of common-sense parental notification laws,” LaLota campaign manager Lauren Lembo wrote in an email. “The website was updated to highlight the direct contrast with his general election opponent Bridget Fleming, who is out of touch on these issues.”

Williams’ campaign could not immediately be reached for comment.

Following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade earlier this year, access to abortion has become a key issue in battleground states across the country as Democrats attempt to hold on to their razor-thin majority in Congress. Recently elected Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan found success in highlighting abortion access as a top issue in the special election for New York’s 19th Congressional District last month. Republicans in other battleground districts have started softening or altogether scrapping references on their websites to hardline anti-abortion views too.

FiveThirtyEight currently ranks the race between Williams and Conole in the 22nd District as the most competitive House race in the country. Conole has tried to put abortion access front and center in the race, focusing his first television ad of the campaign on Williams’ general opposition to abortion. The race in the 1st District also ranks among FiveThirtyEight’s 50 most competitive districts.

Despite new references on their websites to allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest or a health risk to the mother, Williams and LaLota have relatively strict positions on abortion access – particularly in a state where a large majority supports legal abortion in all or most cases.

A new line on LaLota’s website suggested that the candidate is aware of that and strikes a more moderate tone. “Obviously, this is an issue that divides many Americans,” the website now reads.

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.