ROCK HILL, S.C. — Former Vice President Mike Pence visited Rock Hill Thursday for the National Day of Prayer ceremony at Lakewood Baptist Church.
Pence visited the church around noon, hosted by South Carolina state senators Michael Johnson and Wes Climer, who represent York County. Sen. Josh Kimbrell of Spartanburg County also attended.
During the service, Pence spoke about the likelihood that the Supreme Court could potentially overturn the Roe v. Wade decision. He was met with applause from members of the audience.
WCNC Charlotte reporter Indira Eskieva was able to speak with Pence about the possibility of the court overturning Roe. The former vice president maintains an anti-abortion perspective and says he's hopeful the Roe decision is overturned but believes there should be exceptions with abortion bans. Specifically, Pence believes exceptions should apply to cases involving rape, incest, or if a pregnancy threatens a woman's life.
If federal abortion protections are overturned, Pence says he will not only champion anti-abortion laws, but also safety nets for women facing a crisis in pregnancy. He also believes a stronger adoption movement could happen at the state level.
“We’ll see states around the country step up to provide additional support to women that are facing crisis pregnancies. I’ve also been a great champion of adoption reform in America. I think to be pro-life you need to be pro-adoption," he said.
Earlier in the week, a draft majority opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization penned by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico, and later verified as legitimate by Chief Justice John Roberts. According to the Associated Press, the draft strongly suggests the Supreme Court's conservative majority - which includes three justices appointed by former Pres. Donald Trump - would rule in favor of overturning previously-decided cases on abortion rights. This includes both the landmark Roe decision and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
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