GOP presidential hopefuls get personal, talk abortion policy at Christian event

DES MOINES, Iowa — GOP presidential hopefuls Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Nikki Haley shared personal stories and thoughts on abortion policy Friday at an evangelical presidential forum in Des Moines.

In a uniquely cordial forum with 800 attendees at the Marriott hotel in Des Moines, Florida Gov. DeSantis, Ohio businessman Ramaswamy, and former U.N. Ambassador Haley attended the “Presidential Thanksgiving Family Forum” hosted by The FAMiLY Leader, an organization tasked with promoting religious values in governance.

Candidates took advantage of the narrowed field of candidates with the three sitting side by side at a “Thanksgiving table” with moderator and FAMiLY leader president and CEO Bob Vander Plaats, an influential leader among Iowa evangelicals.

The candidates’ visits to Iowa come as they race to play catch up with former President Donald Trump who holds an authoritative lead in the polling.

In an October Des Moines Register/NBC News/ Mediacom Iowa Poll, Trump led the pack with 43 percent of 1,038 respondents while Haley and DeSantis trailed behind in second place, tied at 16 percent.

Trump was also invited to the event but declined the invitation.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy answers questions during the 2023 Thanksgiving Family Forum hosted by The FAMiLY Leader, an organization dedicated to advancing the role of religious values in government, at the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Des Moines on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. Ramaswamy sat with his son, who ran onto the stage earlier in the event. The event began at 3:30 p.m. with a round table discussion, and was followed by meet-and-greet events with each of the candidates, which included Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, and Nikki Haley. (Emily Nyberg)

Ramaswamy, DeSantis touch on wives pregnancies, miscarriages

The forum focused on social conservative topics, including abortion, during the two hour long discussion.

Ramaswamy took the relaxed forum, and instructions to play nice with other candidates, to share the details of his wife Apoorva Ramaswamy’s pregnancy, and their trouble getting pregnant and two miscarriages.

He said during his wife’s first year of her throat surgery residency they had found out that she was pregnant, and were ecstatic only to be heartbroken after she suffered a miscarriage.

A few months later, he said they were pregnant again and Apoorva Ramaswamy had started to bleed again, while Ramaswamy was on a work trip, but after a doctor’s appointment the next day they were relieved to find a heartbeat.

Ramaswamy then invited his three-year-old son Karthik, whose heartbeat they found that day, to the stage.

DeSantis also shared the story of his wife’s miscarriage and their struggle to conceive.

He said his wife Casey DeSantis and prayed for their first child but were not having any luck. However, after they did get pregnant they lost their first child to a miscarriage, DeSantis said.

“It was tough, because this is something that we had so much hopes for,” DeSantis said. “So many aspirations, but you know, we just kept the faith. We just kept praying. We knew that there would be a path that God will lead us on.”

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley answers a question during the 2023 Thanksgiving Family Forum hosted by The FAMiLY Leader, an organization dedicated to advancing the role of religious values in government, at the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Des Moines on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. The event was moderated by Bob Vander Plaats, the president of The FAMiLY Leader. The event began at 3:30 p.m. with a round table discussion, and was followed by meet-and-greet events with each of the candidates, which included Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, and Nikki Haley. (Emily Nyberg)

Haley defends statements on abortion

Haley’s stance on abortion has become a point of contention and criticism as the Republican presidential primary race narrows and Haley’s upward momentum threatens DeSantis’ status as the distant-second, behind Trump, in the race.

During the forum on Friday, Vander Plaats asked her to explain her recent statement at the Republican Presidential Primary debate in Miami last week hosted by NBC News.

Haley said at the debate that Republicans need to be “honest” about abortion. Haley emphasized Republicans should find anti-abortion legislation that they can find consensus on, and most importantly, find the votes to pass.

“What you heard me say at the debate was very much the truth — I am unapologetically pro-life,” Haley said. “It is important to remember our overall goal. Our overall goal is: How do we save as many babies as possible and support as many moms as we can.”

Haley said it is more important, at this point, that Congress find a point of consensus with enough votes to pass that would accomplish anti-abortion goals. Haley said that Congress currently does not have the votes to pass a majority of anti-abortion policies.