Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reportedly had a “good conversation” with pro-life Senator Joni Ernst about becoming his vice-presidential running mate, the Iowa senator said after meeting with the businessman.
Trump has an excellent opportunity to shore up h is pro-life bona fides by selecting a strong pro-life advocate as this ticket mate to run against pro-abortion Hillary Clinton. He has met with pro-life Indiana Governor Mike Pence and now Ernst.
Clinton, for her part, is looking at abortion advocates like Tim Kaine of Virginia.
As the Washington Examiner reports:
“Iowans are frustrated by the current direction of our country,” the freshman Republican senator said in a statement. “We simply cannot afford to continue these failed policies under Hillary Clinton.
“I had a good conversation with Donald Trump today and we discussed what I am hearing from Iowans as I travel around the state on my 99 county tour, and the best path forward for our country,” she added. “I will continue to share my insights with Donald about the need to strengthen our economy, keep our nation safe, and ensure America is always a strong, stabilizing force around the globe.”
Ernst met with Trump at the National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., to discuss his presidential campaign and, presumably, the possibility of her selection as the GOP nominee for vice president. Trump earlier in the weekend met with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence at the same location, and on Monday morning, praised both Pence and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Twitter. All three have been mentioned as possible GOP nominees for vice president.
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Last week, Trump condemned the Supreme Court’s pro-abortion decision striking down part of a Texas law that has saved thousands of babies from abortions.
Recently, Trump released a well-received list of 11 potential Supreme Court nominees — a list pro-life groups hailed for having strong supporters of the Constitution. He also told a group of more than 1,000 pro-life leaders and activists that he would appoint pro-life judges.
“We are going to appoint great Supreme Court justices… These will be justices of great intellect… And they will be pro-life,” he said.
If Trump is the nominee, he would present a stark contrast on abortion to pro-abortion Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Trump has specifically promised he would sign a bill as president to de-fund Planned Parenthood. In an interview with David Brody of CBN, Trump made that promise:
David Brody: “As a President Trump, if a bill came to your desk that would defund Planned Parenthood you would support that, you would sign that?”
Donald Trump: “Yes, because as long as they do the abortion I am not for funding Planned Parenthood… As long as they’re involved with abortion, as far as I’m concerned forget it, I wouldn’t fund them regardless. I would defund Planned Parenthood because of their view and the fact of their work on abortion…. I am for defunding Planned Parenthood as long as they are involved with abortion.”
As far as Trump’s comments on Planned Parenthood funding are concerned, Trump has fairly consistently said he opposes taxpayer funding but he’s also made some remarks about the “good things” Planned Parenthood does that have alarmed pro-life voters — as if any “good thing” could make up for the fact that planned Parenthood kills 330,000 unborn babies a year in abortions and then sells their body parts for profit.
Meanwhile, Trump said he thinks the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case that ushered in an era of 48 million abortions was “wrongly decided.” Trump said he would appoint “very good judges” who would ultimately “change it” but he opposed Roe without specifically saying it should be overturned.
