Dr. Stephen J. Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, told Newsweek the GOP “did not do itself any favors with all the infighting during 2023” but that policy issues will dominate the 2024 elections.
Farnsworth said one challenge Republicans faced in 2023 and will continue to face during next year’s election is messaging on abortion. The GOP has faced backlash from many voters in several states, including Virginia, over their stance on reproductive rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the case that previously guaranteed abortion rights across the country, in 2022.
“The continuing unpopularity of abortion restrictions was also seen in the Ohio referendum and in President Trump’s efforts during his 2024 campaign to minimize his own role in building a Supreme Court majority that restricted abortion,” he said.
