Guide Note

John McCain has a consistent pro-life voting record. He has been outspoken about his disapproval of the Roe v. Wade decision, and believes that the issue of abortion should be decided at the state level.

Fast Facts

1. Has received a 0% rating from NARAL, marking him as one of the strongest Pro-Life voters in the U.S. Senate
2. Has stated that in the future he hopes abortion to no longer be an issue
3. Has argued that there is a place for both Pro-Life and Pro-Choice voters in the Republican Party
4. Voted to expand embryonic stem cell research
5. Voted to ban partial-birth abortions
6. Considered to have a mixed record on abortion by the National Right to Life (NRLC)

On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state and federal laws against abortion violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. The decision cleared the way for legal abortions and prompted an ongoing national debate. John McCain believes that the decision was flawed and has sworn to appoint judges who will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade if he is elected president.¹