Washington Republicans are urging their Senate candidates to support in vitro fertilization treatments after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled a week ago that frozen embryos should be considered children.
The decision has already proved problematic for Republicans, who have struggled since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade two years ago to walk the line between appeasing conservative anti-abortion activists and turning off more moderate swing voters.
On Friday, a memo from Jason Thielman, the executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of Senate Republicans, urged the party’s candidates to “clearly and concisely reject efforts by the government to restrict I.V.F.” and to “align with the public’s overwhelming support for I.V.F. and fertility treatments.”
“There are zero Republican Senate candidates who support efforts to restrict access to fertility treatments,” Mr. Thielman wrote.
The memo cited research from Kellyanne Conway, a Republican pollster and former Trump White House counselor, showing that 85 percent of Americans support increasing access to fertility-related procedures and services. Ms. Conway’s data showed that 78 percent of abortion opponents and 83 percent of evangelicals supported in vitro fertilization.
Mr. Thielman’s memo provided messaging for candidates that would show they support I.V.F., such as referring to fertility services as “blessings for those seeking to have children.” The memo also suggested language that candidates should use to oppose restrictions on the procedures and recommended that Republican contenders campaign on increasing access.
David McCormick, a Republican Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, was among the first out of the gate on Friday to reflect the N.R.S.C.’s advice.
“IVF is a ray of hope for millions of Americans seeking the blessing of children,” he posted on social media. “I oppose any effort to restrict it.”
