'I am pro-life and supportive of the principles in the bill that was just passed,' he says. Manchin backs W.Va. abortion bill

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is “supportive” of a West Virginia bill banning abortions after 20 weeks and is considering backing a similar federal ban in the Senate.

“I am pro-life and supportive of the principles in the bill that was just passed in the West Virginia Legislature,” Manchin said in a statement.


The Democratic-controlled West Virginia legislature has sent a bill to the desk of Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, a notable moment for a movement led thus far by Republican-controlled states.

Passage of the bill in West Virginia prompted the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List to question Manchin’s position on both the state legislation and a federal bill written by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) that has attracted only Republican support thus far.

( Also on POLITICO Magazine: The next battle in abortion wars)

There has been much debate in the Senate over which portion of the Constitution enumerates the power for Congress to pass a federal abortion bill. In the statement provided by his office, the moderate Senate Democrat indicated that legal questions are keeping him from signing onto the Graham legislation, for now.

”I am currently evaluating the constitutionality of the legislation and working with my colleagues to make sure we can pursue a bill that will pass the Senate. My main goal, and one that we can all agree on, is reducing the number of abortions in this country,” Manchin said.

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said Monday that it’s time for Manchin “to embrace his self-avowed pro-life position and become the first Democratic cosponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.” SBA List is also working on moderate Democrats like Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Mark Pryor of Arkansas to join on to the Graham legislation.