Thumb Reporter

President Donald Trump’s position on abortion was recently reaffirmed when he promised to sign an executive order requiring health care providers to administer medical care to all babies born alive, a move that some presume is meant to strengthen his support among Catholics, according to reporting by The Associated Press. 

Adding fuel to the election fire, after the passing of celebrated Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both sides of the aisle are concerned about how a confirmation or delay in appointing Ginsburg’s replacement could sway the Court on the issue of abortion.

While Ginsburg had voiced misgivings over the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade, prior to her appointment to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1993, her time on the court saw Ginsburg consistently voting to expand access to abortions, according to coverage by Catholic News Service. As recently as this past June, Ginsburg’s was a significant voice in a 5-4 ruling that favored women having access to abortions.

Yet the question remains whether the abortion issue alone would sway Catholics who do not already support Trump.

Marilynn Pavlov, a retired Catholic school principal and member of St. Christopher’s Parish in Marysville, recently told the Thumb Reporter that she feels Catholics have a duty to vote with their religion in mind.

“I think their vote should be a reflection of their faith,” Pavlov told the Thumb Reporter. “First of all, they need to be informed on what their faith teaches, but once they are, then I think that the vote -- who they vote for and what they vote, how they vote on issues, should mirror the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

Pavlov said that sanctity of life is one of those teachings that should inform how Catholics vote. She added that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called "right to life" the preeminent issue of the day.

Even before birth, she feels that human life has value “because it’s human life.” Pavlov told the Thumb Reporter she will always choose a candidate who opposes abortion over one who supports it.

“For instance, this year we’ve got two presidential candidates: one is for abortion, one is against abortion,” Pavlov told the Thumb Reporter. “So for me it’s a very easy decision.”

But if both candidates share similar views, Pavlov said she would still vote based on which candidate is most pro-life.

“That’s my baseline issue,” she told the Thumb Reporter.