• Press Release

EMILYs List Puts 14 Extremist Republicans “On Notice” Ahead of Trump’s VP Pick

April 23, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, announced its 2024 “On Notice” list, highlighting 14 extremist Republicans on Donald Trump’s shortlist for potential 2024 running mates. Abortion is on the ballot this year like never before, so for the first time in EMILYs List history the 2024 “On Notice” list focuses on Trump’s “Veepstakes” pool to send a clear message to voters. While these candidates may be different in many ways, one thing is clear: no matter who he picks, the GOP ticket will be a huge threat to our reproductive rights. Trump and the members of his VP shortlist support an extreme anti-abortion agenda that further endangers reproductive rights in America, from abortion to IVF to birth control. Today, we’re placing 14 potential VP picks “On Notice,” including Ben Carson, Byron Donalds, Elise Stefanik, J.D. Vance, Kari Lake, Katie Britt, Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy.

EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler released the following statement:

“A Trump presidency will mean a national abortion ban is on the menu, and whichever extremist he picks as his running mate will not change that. Our message to these Republican potential VP picks is simple: EMILYs List sees your extremism and we’re putting you ‘On Notice.’ No matter how much they lie to voters and hide their efforts to ban abortion nationwide, we have their anti-abortion records and we are not afraid to expose them. 

“The difference between these extremists and Democratic pro-choice champions could not be more clear. While each of the Republican extremists ‘On Notice’ would ban abortion, Democrats are lucky to have Vice President Harris, who has fought for reproductive freedom her entire career and is waging an unapologetic campaign to protect abortion access across the country. The choice is obvious.”

Ben Carson 

  • Advocated for a total ban on abortion, with no exceptions.
  • Stated, “My position is that abortion[s] should not be done. I believe that it’s murder… Including in cases of rape and incest.” 
  • Compared abortion to slavery and said he wanted the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and make abortion illegal. 
  • When asked about exceptions for rape and incest, a spokesperson on his team responded, “Dr. Carson believes abortion is not acceptable after conception.”
  • Has partnered with anti-abortion organization SBA List by joining EWTN Pro-Life Weekly for numerous interviews on anti-abortion topics. 
  • Created a petition to urge legislators to vote on a bill that would ban abortion and criminalize medical professionals. 

Byron Donalds 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List and an 100% rating from Florida Right to Life. 
  • Called reproductive health care “sick, perverse, and [an ideology that] erodes our nation’s moral compass.”
  • Co-sponsored a bill that would enact a national ban on all abortions, contrary to his current attempt to hide his record on IVF.
  • Voted against the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022.
  • Voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022.

Elise Stefanik 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List and praised its role in overturning Roe v. Wade at the SBA List event on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization anniversary.
  • Called the overturning of Roe v. Wade a “victory,” and said “the Supreme Court got it right” by sending the issue of abortion “back to the elected officials.”
  • Signed an amicus brief from SBA List asking the U.S. Supreme Court to ban mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion pill.
  • Co-sponsored House Republicans’ 2024 national abortion ban legislation. 
  • Voted against the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022.
  • Voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022. 

J.D. Vance 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List. 
  • Supported a national abortion ban, saying, “Some minimum national standard is totally fine with me.”
  • Called Ohio voters’ choice to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution a “gut punch” for anti-abortion officials like himself. 
  • Tweeted that abortion was the first political issue he cared about. 
  • Defended the Texas bounty-style near-total ban, saying, “I think in Texas they’re trying to make it easier for unborn babies to be born.”
  • When asked whether abortion laws should allow for exceptions for rape and incest, he responded that “two wrongs don’t make a right.” 
  • Regarding Sen. Graham’s national abortion ban, he responded that it “provides reasonable exceptions but it also sets a minimum national standard and I think that that’s a good idea.”
  • Co-sponsored legislation that spreads misinformation, criminalizes medical professionals, and pushes abortion care out of reach.

Kari Lake 

  • Endorsed by anti-abortion group SBA List for the Arizona governor’s race. 
  • Called abortion the “ultimate sin.” 
  • Said medication abortion should be illegal.
  • Expressed her support for Arizona’s draconian Civil War-era near-total abortion ban in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying, “I’m incredibly thrilled that we are going to have a great law that’s already on the books,” and “I think we’re going to be paving the way and setting course for other states to follow.”
  • Praised the passage of Texas’ near-total abortion ban, saying Arizona should pass a “carbon copy” of it. 

Katie Britt 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List. 
  • Prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, she said, “My family and I are praying that the Supreme Court finally overturns Roe v. Wade this year.”
  • Said, “I am proud to be 100% pro-life,” on the campaign trail. 
  • Has yet to condemn the devastating IVF ruling in her home state of Alabama. 
  • Co-sponsored the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, a bill that would permanently ban federal funding for abortion.
  • Voted against the Equal Rights Amendment, legislation that would protect the right to abortion and the full range of reproductive health care.
  • Said she would oppose the Women’s Health Protection Act if it was introduced in the Senate.

Kristi Noem

  • Endorsed by anti-abortion group SBA List for the South Dakota governor’s race.
  • Pledged to be the “most pro-life governor in the nation,” and upheld that pledge by serving as the governor for South Dakota, a state with one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans. 
  • Defended the state’s abortion “trigger” ban when asked if a 10-year-old should be forced to give birth.
  • Called the overturning of Roe v. Wade “wonderful news.” 
  • Served as the first governor in the nation to designate an official in her office to serve as an anti-abortion advocate.
  • Introduced and championed Texas’ SB 8-style legislation, attempting to ban nearly all abortions. 
  • Signed into law legislation that would make South Dakota one of the hardest places in the country to get abortion drugs.
  • Restricted telemedicine abortions through executive order. 

Marco Rubio 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List and SBA List endorsed him in the U.S. Senate race in 2022. 
  • Said he opposed abortions in all instances.  
  • Assured that he was “pro-life. I am proud to be pro-life, and I will never change my position on that issue.”
  • Voiced, “My whole point is to be consistent on this issue, [so] I believe we should be protecting from the moment of conception to the moment of birth and that our laws should reflect that.” 
  • Signed the SBA List amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, and the SBA List amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to ban mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion pill.
  • Sponsored a bill that would create new federal crimes related to transporting a minor across state lines for an abortion.
  • Co-sponsored Sen. Lindsey Graham’s national abortion ban legislation in the Senate. 
  • Co-sponsored numerous bills that would ban or severely limit abortion access, including another national ban and limits on access to mifepristone.

Marjorie Taylor Greene 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List. 
  • Said her mission is to “END abortion.” 
  • Called the overturning of Roe v. Wade a “blessing” and a “miracle.” 
  • Signed an amicus brief from SBA List asking the U.S. Supreme Court to ban mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion pill.
  • Co-sponsored a bill that would enact a national ban on all abortions to “bring our nation closer to ending abortion.” 
  • Co-sponsored a bill that would mislead pregnant people and prevent doctors from providing abortion.
  • Voted against the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022.
  • Voted against Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021.

Nikki Haley 

  • Endorsed by anti-abortion group SBA List for the South Carolina governor’s race in 2010, and the president of SBA List has long credited Haley for her anti-abortion messaging. 
  • Noted she would sign any national abortion ban, confirming “if it’s six weeks, that’s great. If it’s 15 weeks, that’s great” and said, “I would support anything that would pass” and “I do think there’s a place for federal law.” 
  • Said she would sign a six-week abortion ban if she were still governor.
  • Declared she is “unapologetically pro-life.”
  • Signed the most conservative abortion bill Republicans were able to pass through both chambers at the time as governor of South Carolina. 
  • Voted for a bill in 2005 to essentially ban all abortions in the state of South Carolina. 
  • Co-sponsored a bill in 2009 to significantly limit abortion access statewide by mandating a waiting period.
  • Co-sponsored a bill in 2010 that would impose a complete abortion ban, without exceptions.
  • Voted to end abortion coverage for victims of rape and incest in the state health plan for employees.

Ron DeSantis

  • When asked if he would sign a national abortion ban as president, he said, “Yes, I will,” and promised to take action to ban abortion, noting, “I’m a pro-life governor. I’ve signed pro-life legislation. I’ll be a pro-life president. … Of course, there’ll be executive actions.” 
  • When asked about Florida’s ballot initiative to protect abortion in the state constitution, he said the measure was “radical.”
  • Signed a near-total abortion ban into law in the state of Florida. This is one of the strictest bans in the country. 
  • Signed an abortion ban into law without exceptions for cases of incest, rape, or human trafficking.
  • Signed a bill criminalizing physicians who attempt to perform abortions for minors into law.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders 

  • Endorsed by anti-abortion group SBA List for the Arkansas governor’s race in 2022.
  • Despite Arkansas having one of the most extreme bans on abortion in the country, she has said she doesn’t think that’s far enough.
  • Proclaimed, “I want to push for the strongest pro-life legislation that we can possibly have in our state,” and when asked about exceptions made said, “no, I would not advocate for those exceptions.”
  • Indicated she wouldn’t support a ballot initiative that would let Arkansans express their opinion on abortion rights. 
  • In her governor’s race, campaigned on the idea that if she won, she would ensure Arkansas implements and enforces the strongest anti-abortion efforts possible. 
  • Signed legislation to create a taxpayer-funded “monument to the unborn” on the Arkansas state capitol grounds. 

Tim Scott 

  • Received an A+ rating for being anti-abortion from SBA List. 
  • Stated if he was president, he would advocate for a national abortion ban.
  • Quoted, “If I were president of the United States, I would literally sign the most conservative pro-life legislation that they can get through Congress.”  
  • Affirmed that he is “100 percent pro-life,” and has a 100% anti-abortion voting record. 
  • When asked about his home state’s near-total abortion ban, he responded it was “good news.” 
  • Co-sponsored a bill that would lead to the national criminalization of abortion.
  • Co-sponsored a bill that would create new federal crimes related to transporting a minor across state lines for an abortion. 
  • Co-sponsored a bill that would mislead pregnant people and prevent doctors from providing abortion.

Vivek Ramaswamy 

  • Said he is “unapologetically pro-life” and assured, “I’ve been pro-life for a long time.” 
  • Supported near-total state-level bans on abortion and when asked about Gov. Ron DeSantis’ near-total abortion ban, he said, “I think that that’s a reasonable bill for him to have signed, absolutely.”
  • Believed the U.S. Supreme Court should rule against the FDA’s decades-long approval of mifepristone, the first of a two-part series of drugs used in medication abortion.
  • Voted NO on Ohio’s ballot initiative that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state’s constitution.  

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised $850 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure operations for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 175 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 20 governors, and over 1,500 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.