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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTrump or Biden: Who will Nikki Haley’s supporters back in November election?Published39 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Holly Honderichin WashingtonNikki Haley ended her failed bid for the White House much like she spent the final weeks of campaigning: with a warning for her former Republican rival.”It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him,” she said, pausing. “And I hope he does that.”Ms Haley’s exit effectively marks the start of the 2024 general election, which will almost certainly be a rematch of four years ago between Mr Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.The new question coming into focus – one with serious implications for the presidential race – is where Ms Haley’s voters will go now?Haley exits race but stops short of endorsing TrumpThe former South Carolina governor’s coalition of Trump-resistant Republicans and independents was simply too small to stop Mr Trump’s march to the Republican nomination, which was all but assured after a commanding series of victories on Super Tuesday. But that same coalition – a mix of moderate, college-educated and suburban voters who helped her win two primary races – now hold considerable power. These groups have historically proven influential in elections and this time, experts say, the path to the presidency will again run right through the voters Ms Haley left behind. “They are the ones who are going to decide this election,” said Republican strategist Kevin Madden. And both Mr Trump and Mr Biden know it. Ms Haley’s announcement on Wednesday was followed immediately by statements from both candidates, making their appeals – albeit in markedly different ways. Mr Biden congratulated Ms Haley and spoke directly to her supporters, emphasising common ground, saying there was “a place for them in my campaign”. Mr Trump offered no concessions to Ms Haley but invited her voters “to join the greatest movement in the history of our Nation”. Image source, Getty ImagesExperts say Ms Haley’s voters fall roughly into the three categories: never-Trumpers, independents, and Republican Party loyalists. For that first segment of Ms Haley’s camp, their direction is slightly more clear: far away from Mr Trump. In interviews with these voters throughout the campaign, many explained their support for Ms Haley entirely as a rejection of the former president. “Trump is a cancer in the Republican Party,” said Holt Moran, a Haley supporter and South Carolina Republican who left the party in 2016 when Mr Trump became the nominee. “He’s just a disaster for this country.” On the campaign trail, many of these voters barely mentioned Ms Haley herself, talking instead about Mr Trump’s mounting legal challenges, the 2021 US Capitol riot, and what they described as his contempt for democracy. Few thought Ms Haley could actually beat Mr Trump but they cast their ballot for her anyway – a true protest vote which experts say indicates the depth of their animosity.Voters like these have given Democrats some reason for optimism.Some polls from early voting states suggested a “large percentage” of Haley voters were open to voting for Mr Biden, said veteran Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg. Among Haley voters in North Carolina, for example, only 21% said they would vote for the Republican nominee “no matter who it is”. For the Republican party, “these are very bright, red warning signs”, Mr Rosenberg said. “The Republican party has splintered… and Haley is now showing that that splintering is a legitimate and serious thing.” But so far, Mr Trump and his allies have seemed uninterested in making a sincere effort to draw Haley voters in, instead lobbing increasingly personal attacks at her in speeches and interviews. Even after she dropped out, Mr Trump offered no olive branch. He mocked her losses, saying in a statement she was “TROUNCED… in record setting fashion” before offering his tepid invitation to her supporters to unite behind him. Politically, “it’s pure idiocy”, Mr Rosenberg said. “The party can’t win elections without their full Republican coalition.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Donald Trump has maintained his firm hold on the Republican baseBut other analysts have cautioned that a general dislike for Mr Trump among Haley-supporting Republicans will not necessarily translate to a vote for Mr Biden in November. Partisan ties do not break down so easily.”That’s not the norm,” said Democratic strategist Kate Maeder. “Because our politics today are so tribal, there’s a very slim majority in the middle that is still persuadable.”That’s been true for past rivalries within the main political parties: outright defectors are rare. Soon after Hillary Clinton ceded the Democratic presidential nomination to Barack Obama in 2008, nearly one-third of her supporters said they would vote for Republican John McCain instead. By election day, 82% had cast their ballots for Mr Obama. Even as her attacks against Mr Trump grew more pointed and more personal, Ms Haley herself stuck to the line that Mr Biden was the more dangerous candidate. By doing so, she has left herself space to say she remains loyal to the Republican Party, no matter the nominee. Key takeaways from Super Tuesday results Voters on election rematch: ‘I wish younger candidates had a chance’Mr Biden’s own political weaknesses will also play a role, said Republican analyst Whit Ayres. “A lot of Haley voters don’t want Biden either,” he said, pointing to the president’s low job approval ratings and growing concern among voters that he is simply too old to run. Dozens of Haley voters have also said just that in interviews over the last few months. They wanted to move on from Mr Trump, but could not see themselves voting for Mr Biden, who they described as weak on the border and bad for the economy. “For so many years now we’ve had to vote for the lesser of the two evils,” said lifelong Republican and Haley supporter Tim Ferguson. “I can’t vote for Biden,” he said. “I will vote for Mr Trump again, and I won’t feel any better about it than I did last time.” Mr Ferguson’s unhappiness is widespread. Image source, Getty ImagesAccording to a February poll from Morning Consult, 19% of the American electorate are considered “double haters” – those who are unhappy with both Mr Trump and Mr Biden. Some analysts suspect that this sort of apathy may stop many of those voters from casting a ballot at all. “This is the match-up that nobody wanted,” said Mr Madden, the Republican strategist. “I think the bigger risk is that they stay home.”Changes to the US economy, developments in Ukraine and in Gaza, or simply an embarrassing gaffe by either Mr Trump or Mr Biden, could all sway independent-minded voters. And the outlook is further complicated by Mr Trump’s many legal challenges. Polling suggests he would lose some Republican voters if he was convicted in any of his four criminal cases. Jim Sullivan, a Republican from Indiana, said while he would not cross party lines for Mr Biden, he was still undecided. A true double hater, he does not like Mr Trump either, but sees no other option. “I’m wrestling with that,” he said. With eight months left until Mr Biden and Mr Trump face off again, experts agree it is simply too early to know for sure where voters like Mr Sullivan will land. “The real answer to every single question is this is going to be really close, and we don’t know yet,” Mr Madden said. More on the US electionExplained: A simple guide to the US 2024 electionAnalysis: Where Biden v Trump will be won and lostPolicies: What a Trump second term would look likeEconomy: Voters feel better – will that help Biden?Recap: The Trump life story to dateMore on this storyWhat is Super Tuesday and why is it important?Published1 day agoTop StoriesHunt cuts National Insurance and extends child benefit as election loomsPublished2 hours agoDharshini David: An election giveaway but taxes will still risePublished1 hour ago’Non-dom’, vaping and tobacco: Key points at-a-glancePublished5 hours agoFeaturesHow Nikki Haley battled to stay in fight against Trump. 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[ad_1] After the Republican drops out, the voters she leaves behind could play a key role in deciding the presidency.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAli Hassan Mwinyi: ‘Mr Permission’ – the man who opened up TanzaniaPublished47 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ali Hassan Mwinyi died at 98By Basillioh Rukanga & Alfred LasteckBBC News, Nairobi & Dar es SalaamAli Hassan Mwinyi, Tanzania’s second president, was fondly known as Mzee Rukhsa – “Mr Permission”.The former leader, who died on Thursday at the age of 98, had a reputation for allowing a long list of things which had been denied by his predecessor – such as multiparty democracy, independent media, free trade and the private ownership of televisions.In 1985, when he was first sworn in, Tanzania’s economy was struggling, reeling from the ruinous effects of founding President Julius Nyerere’s socialist policy known as ujamaa, as well as the war against neighbouring Uganda that toppled Idi Amin.Ujamaa, Swahili for familyhood, involved collaborative working where everything was communally owned, including land, while people lived in communal settlements.But after more than two decades under Nyerere, the country faced a shortage of essential goods including food and clothing. Foreign exchange was scarce and Tanzania was deep in debt.Mwinyi had been hand-picked by the charismatic Nyerere. Despite the economic crisis, he was still respected in the country as the founding father. Nyerere’s vision had managed to unite the country made up of more than 120 ethnic groups.His successor was seen as a shy, compromise candidate who was unlikely to rock the boat. Some saw him as a puppet of Nyerere, who despite stepping down as president, stayed on as the leader of the ruling party, which still had a tight grip on the affairs of the state. The Economist magazine is quoted as saying at the time that people should not “expect many changes in Tanzania’s lacklustre economy when [he] takes over as president… Mr Mwinyi is Mr Nyerere’s man”.Nyerere himself had introduced Mwinyi as “a righteous man, impartial and respectful, [who] has never sought fame or used his position to advance his ambition”. But he soon dismantled the ujamaa policy and many of the restrictions under his predecessor’s regime.He opened up the economy, allowed other parties to run in elections, enabled independent media to exist and permitted the sale of televisions to individuals, which previously had only been communally owned.He also began talks with the International Monetary Fund about getting financial support.With the economy on the brink of collapse, the reforms were seen as having as saved the economy.Image source, AFPImage caption, Mwinyi (C) took over from Nyerere (L) in 1985Joseph Warioba, who was prime minister during Mwinyi’s presidency, recounts how the president’s “brave” leadership helped resolve the economic crisis, including severe food, fuel and foreign currency shortages.”He appointed ministers and valued our input greatly. He encouraged everyone to contribute ideas to find solutions,” he told the BBC.Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, an opposition politician who worked as Mwinyi’s economic adviser, remembers him as a calm person who respected human rights. But Mwinyi’s leadership was not without criticism – some of his policies, including allowing political leaders to run private businesses, were criticised for opening up the way for high corruption levels during his presidency.Mwinyi also faced accusations that he favoured Muslims in government jobs. He wrote later in his memoirs that these allegations hit him hard.And although he introduced multiparty democracy, allowing opposition parties to contest elections, none of them have managed to dislodge the ruling CCM party from power.He stepped down from the presidency in 1995 at the age of 70, having served two terms at the helm.From then on, Mwinyi kept a low profile but was occasionally present and spoke at public events with some of his presidential successors.In 2021, current President Samia Suluhu Hassan described him as a leader worthy of emulation, saying he was “a reformist [and] a role model to many of us”. She was speaking during the launch of his memoir, aptly called Mzee Rukhsa – the Journey of My Life.Mwinyi was born on 8 May 1925 in Tanganyika, which was then a British colony. In 1964, three years after independence, it united with the islands of Zanzibar to form Tanzania.When Mwinyi was four years old, his family moved to Zanzibar, where his father wanted him to study Islam and become a religious leader. But instead, he took up teaching, before entering politics in the 1960s. He then held a number of government positions including as a minister and as an ambassador before becoming Zanzibar’s president in 1984 and then succeeding Nyerere the following year.He is survived by his two wives and a number of children, including Zanzibar’s current President Hussein Mwinyi.You may also be interested in:Julius Nyerere: Former Tanzanian leader honoured by African Union statueSwahili’s bid to become a language for all of AfricaA quick guide to TanzaniaWhy Tanzania’s Nobel laureate is hardly known back homeRelated TopicsTanzaniaTop StoriesLive. Navalny buried in Moscow as crowd chants anti-Putin slogansLive. Starmer apologises to Rochdale voters after Galloway by-election winThomas Kingston died from traumatic head woundPublished21 minutes agoFeaturesHow big banks are becoming ‘Bitcoin whales’Anti-war hero or dangerous egoist? George Galloway makes his comebackChris Mason: Rochdale shows how Gaza is shaping UK politicsWeekly quiz: What word had Mary Poppins reaching for a spoonful of sugar?Where and when is Eurovision 2024 taking place?Analysis: A royal dilemma as public curiosity over Kate growsWhy some singles are cutting things off after bad datesHow three police forces failed to stop Sarah Everard killerChris Mason: Looming election takes centre stage in Budget weekElsewhere on the BBCCan clueless Chi tackle the challenge of growing up?Watch the ultimate stay-at-home-daughter learn to fend for herself in this latest comedy!AttributioniPlayerEmbroiled in a web of deceit…A romance scam turns Josie’s suburban life upside downAttributionSoundsInseparable from birthMeet the remarkable conjoined twins defying medical expectations with the support of their fatherAttributioniPlayerThe 100 year old war veteran who became a global sensationDiscover how Captain Sir Tom Moore captured the nation’s heart and the controversy that followedAttributionSoundsMost Read1William pulls St David’s Day pint with Wrexham owner2Price of first class stamp to rise again3Bankrupt Price to lose 40% of OnlyFans income4No release for double killer who mutilated bodies5Angela Rayner denies misleading tax officials6Baldwin ‘waved gun around’ before film set death7Analysis: A royal dilemma as public curiosity over Kate grows8Why some singles are cutting things off after bad dates9Weekly quiz: What word had Mary Poppins reaching for a spoonful of sugar?10Former rugby star Stuart Hogg charged by police](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/C754/production/_132782015_gettyimages-72366911.jpg)
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAlabama IVF ruling divides devout Christians: ‘Fewer children will be born’Published3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Ian DruceImage caption, Margaret Boyce was days away from her first appointment for IVF when Alabama made its rulingBy Nomia IqbalBBC News in Birmingham, AlabamaWhen Alabama’s Supreme Court defined frozen embryos as children, the shock and confusion was immediate. Major hospitals pulled fertility services and would-be parents scrambled for clarity on what would happen next.The debate over reproductive rights in America has long been driven, in part, by opposition to abortion from Christian groups – but this ruling has divided that movement and ignited debate about the role of theology in US lawmaking.Margaret Boyce is soft-spoken, a private person, and certainly not – in her words – a “crier”.She had been taking fertility drugs for 10 months and was days away from her first appointment for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) when the justices of Alabama’s top court upended her life.Their ruling, which prompted many fertility clinics to pause their work, has left her turning to the Bible daily for comfort.The 32-year-old and her husband have a young boy but, second time round, she is experiencing unexplained infertility. Building a family has always been the dream.”I’m one of three. I feel like it’s the greatest gift to give your child a sibling,” she said.”The journey to becoming parents is different for every single couple – mentally, emotionally and financially,” she added, welling up.”This ruling has added more unnecessary anxiety to something that is already so hard.”For a devout Christian like Margaret, the ruling – given its consequences for what she sees clearly as a process to create life – is even more difficult to comprehend.”God,” she said, “tells you to go forth and be fruitful and multiply.”What is the ruling and what does it mean for fertility patients?IVF is a difficult and lengthy treatment, involving the fertilisation of a woman’s eggs with sperm in a lab to create a microscopic embryo. The fertilised embryo is then transferred into a woman’s uterus, where it may create a pregnancy – but a successful outcome is not guaranteed.Embryos are often frozen or eventually destroyed as part of IVF, which accounts for around 2% of US pregnancies.The Alabama court ruled that an existing law – wrongful death of a minor – covers not just foetuses in the womb, but embryos held in a lab or storage facility too.It did not explicitly restrict or ban IVF, but it has still created deep uncertainty for clinics and medical workers who handle embryos and fear prosecution. In recent days the office of the state’s attorney general said he had “no intention” of pursuing criminal charges against IVF clinics – but one clinic told the BBC this statement lacked detail and did not quell their fears.While the majority of the justices rooted their ruling in law, Chief Justice Tom Parker also had a higher authority in mind, repeatedly invoking scripture in explaining his decision.The people of Alabama, he wrote in a concurring opinion, had adopted a “theologically-based view of the sanctity of life” in their state constitution.Image source, Supeme Court of AlabamaImage caption, Chief Justice Tom Parker, of the Alabama Supreme CourtDelving into religious sources from classic Christian theologians like St. Thomas Aquinas and also a modern conservative Christian manifesto, he concluded that “even before birth, all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory”.Some anti-abortion groups celebrated the explicit use of scripture in Justice Parker’s opinion to justify what for them was a momentous decision. Tony Perkins, president of evangelical activist group the Family Research Council, described it as “a beautiful defence of life”.But the chief justice’s theocratic justification has left Margaret puzzled. She doesn’t believe in abortion but she also struggles to see a frozen embryo as a living person. For her, life begins with a heartbeat.”Nobody understands more that an embryo is not a child,” she said, before taking a pause, “than the person yearning for that embryo to be a child.”US courts do sometimes make decisions that seem to be based on religious premises, said Meredith Render, a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law.But, she added, “rarely do you see it as explicitly stated” as in the chief justice’s opinion.Alabama IVF row an election-year political bombshellTrump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatment The ruling was however “not an outlier” for a conservative court in a red state, said Kelly Baden, the vice president for public policy at the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion legislation across the US. “We do see that many elected officials and judges alike are often coming at this debate from a highly religious lens,” she said.While the Alabama state Supreme Court is not appointed by the US president, more than 200 judges were appointed by Donald Trump to federal courts during his four-year term, winning him lasting support from American evangelicals.During his presidency he was able to nominate three new justices to the nine-member Supreme Court – all of whom sided with the majority in striking down the 1973 Roe v Wade decision that had guaranteed a federal right to abortion.Since that decision in 2022 re-opened a national battle over reproductive rights, courts in Missouri have quoted Biblical teachings to justify restricting abortion rights and a Trump-appointed judge in Texas who previously worked for a Christian legal organisation tried to impose a nationwide ban on Mifepristone, a commonly used abortion pill.While many Republican politicians comfortably agree with such rulings, restrictions on abortion imposed by conservative courts have proved a potent campaign issue for Democrats in recent elections, including the 2022 midterms. Image source, ReutersImage caption, Donald Trump has said he supports the availability of IVF treatment, calling on Alabama to find “an immediate solution”The Alabama decision, made by Republican judges and affecting fertility treatments widely supported by the US public, went one step further, prompting immediate fear of a political backlash in a presidential election year. Any sign of IVF being endangered could worsen the anger that’s already cost Republicans since the fall of Roe v Wade, especially among suburban women and those who are uncomfortable with abortion bans.Donald Trump himself, the clear frontrunner in the Republican nomination race, came out strongly in support of IVF, calling on Alabama lawmakers to preserve access to the treatment. His last remaining rival Nikki Haley at first appeared to support the ruling, but then backtracked.Alabama IVF ruling a political gift for Democrats, headache for Republicans”It’s a win philosophically for the pro-life movement because it carries on the pro-life recognition of unborn life,” said Eric Johnston, president of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition. “But you get into a very difficult situation, where you have this medical procedure that’s accepted by most people, and then how do you deal with it? That’s the dilemma.”I agree with the opinion overall – I think it’s well written opinion from the legal side and from the medical side,” he added. “But I think the pro-life community in general supports IVF, and I’ve known and worked with many people who have had children via IVF. And at the same time, they think abortion is wrong. This issue is so different from abortion, but it has to do with life.”What next for fertility patients in Alabama and beyond?For patients in the deep-south state, the last week has been one of panicked phone calls to clinics, emails to local lawmakers and a rush by some to try and transfer frozen embryos out of the state.Rodney Miller, 46, and his wife Mary Leah, 41, spent a decade trying to have children, before IVF allowed them to give birth to a set of twins 18 months ago, who were adopted as frozen embryos.He said he “thanks the Lord for the advances in science and medicine” that made that possible.Image source, Ian DruceImage caption, Rodney Miller warned the ruling could mean fewer children are bornThe couple are now going through the process again, and waiting to see if two embryos transplanted this week will develop into a pregnancy.”This is not a win [for the Christian right],” says Rodney, who works for Carrywell, an organisation that supports families through infertility.”It’s the classic case of you won the battle but lost the war. Fewer children will be born because of this unless things change.”How did we become a state where if you want to terminate a pregnancy, you have to leave the state and if you want to initiate a pregnancy, via IVF you [also] have to leave the state?”Whether the ruling in Alabama influences decisions elsewhere is an open question. Foetal personhood bills, which enshrine the idea that life begins at conception, have been introduced in more than a dozen states. But these bills, while pushing the idea that a foetus or embryo is a person, don’t explicitly relate that to the context of IVF, said Kelly Baden of the Guttmacher Institute.The Alabama ruling – with its implications that go far beyond abortion access – does not therefore constitute a trend, she said.Alabama family lawyer Ashleigh Meyer Dunham, who has used IVF herself, has been working with a large number of cases affected by the ruling. She said she was “terrified” that fertility patients in other states could eventually be affected.Image source, Ian DruceImage caption, Ashleigh Meyer Dunham is worried that more states might make similar rulings”I think the biggest concerns are that people elsewhere forget about us and they think, ‘Oh they’re just the conservative state, and they’re all country bumpkins. Don’t worry it will never happen here.'”And the next thing you know, it is happening in other states that are ultra-conservative.”Because the Alabama ruling involves an interpretation of state, not federal law, it is unlikely to reach the US Supreme Court. Currently a bill is going through the state house in Alabama, introduced by Democrats, which would aim to effectively pause the ruling and allow treatments to resume as before. Republicans are expected to propose their own bill. If they do, they have to find a way to balance a divided religious constituency, with some celebrating the court’s ruling and others disturbed by its potential implications for IVF.Margaret is praying that lawmakers find a solution.”I’m not very outspoken, I keep myself to myself. But if any of my friends or family heard that I was sending emails to every single representative and senator, I think they would be shocked.”She takes a breath.”But this has got me fired up. It is all I can think about now.”Alex Lederman contributed reporting from Alabama. Additional research from Kayla Epstein in New York.Related TopicsIVFAlabamaUnited StatesMore on this storyAlabama clinics pause IVF treatments over court rulingPublished3 days agoWhat does Alabama ruling mean for fertility patients?Published3 days agoTrump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatmentPublished1 day agoAlabama IVF row an election-year political bombshellPublished2 days agoTop StoriesDeputy PM declines to say whether MP’s remarks were IslamophobicPublished5 hours agoZelensky says 31,000 troops killed in war in UkrainePublished4 hours ago’Fewer children will be born’: Alabama embryo ruling divides devout ChristiansPublished3 hours agoFeaturesThe converted landmark buildings given new lifeIn pictures: Celebrating the Lantern FestivalDissent is dangerous in Putin’s Russia, but activists refuse to give upThe winners and nominees at the SAG AwardsKim Petras on sexual liberation and fighting TikTokInside the long-abandoned tunnel beneath the ClydeHow a £525 bet gave birth to your morning commuteThe man who tried to eat every animal on Earth. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTrump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatment after court rulingPublished3 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS election 2024Image source, EPABy Lisa LambertBBC News, WashingtonDonald Trump has said he supports the availability of IVF treatment, joining a growing number of Republicans who are seeking to distance themselves from an Alabama court ruling on the issue.The state’s top court ruled last week that frozen embryos have the same rights as children and people can be held liable for destroying them.At least three clinics paused IVF treatment in the wake of the ruling.On Friday, Mr Trump called on lawmakers to find “an immediate solution”.”We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder! That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every State in America,” the former president wrote on his Truth Social platform.”[Like] the VAST MAJORITY of Republicans, Conservatives, Christians, and Pro-Life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby,” he added.His comments were his first on the issue, and signalled his opposition to a ruling which some Republicans fear could harm them electorally by hindering plans to win back suburban women as well as swing voters.What does Alabama ruling mean for fertility patients?IVF row an election-year political bombshellMr Trump is the front-runner to win the Republican nomination for November’s election and arguably the leading voice in the party. In a further sign of the party’s efforts to distance itself from the Alabama ruling, the National Republican Senate Committee, which helps members get elected to Congress, sent out a memo to candidates on Friday which directed them to express support for IVF and “campaign on increasing access” to the treatment. “There are zero Republican Senate candidates who support efforts to restrict access to fertility treatments,” the committee’s executive director, Jason Thielman, wrote in the memo which was obtained by the BBC’s US partner CBS.The memo also cited polling that claimed access to IVF is overwhelmingly popular.A number of Senate candidates, including Kari Lake in Arizona, came out to publicly support access to the treatment after the memo was circulated.Mr Trump’s only challenger for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley, initially appeared to back the ruling after she said she considers frozen embryos to be babies. She later denied that she supported the court’s decision.While the Alabama ruling does not ban or restrict IVF, several medical providers in the state cited fears of legal repercussions as they paused fertility services in recent days.It was made by the state’s Supreme Court and all of its justices are Republican.Democrats are already depicting the Alabama case as what they see as a portent of further assaults on women’s rights if their rivals make headway in the coming general election.Mr Biden said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the Alabama decision was only possible because of the 2022 ruling by the US Supreme Court – which has three Trump appointees – to nullify abortion rights.While many conservatives celebrated the end of Roe v Wade, it proved a potent get-out-the-vote motivator for Democrats and a messaging nightmare for Republicans.Related TopicsUS election 2024AlabamaDonald TrumpUnited StatesMore on this storyAlabama IVF row an election-year political bombshellPublished10 hours agoWhat does Alabama ruling mean for fertility patients?Published1 day agoTop StoriesWW2 bomb taken through city and out to seaPublished46 minutes agoTrump calls on Alabama to protect IVF treatmentPublished3 minutes agoSpanish police search gutted flats after nine killedPublished13 minutes agoFeaturesWhy jet streams mean ‘piggy-backing’ planes can fly across the Atlantic faster. 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