GOP Ripe For Splits In Assault On Birth Control Rule

Behind the political haze is a new poll showing that a majority of the public — including self-identified Catholics — favors the birth control rule when told what it actually entails. It exempts churches and houses of worship that primarily employ persons of the same faith and grants religious nonprofits that employ and serve persons of different beliefs one additional year to begin complying.

Senate GOP leaders took turns bashing the decision Wednesday. “It violates our First Amendment to the constitution,” said Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). “This is not a women’s rights issue. This is a religious liberty issue.” But Ayotte’s state of New Hampshire already has the same mandate without a religious exemption, and she hasn’t expressed concerns with it. Twenty-seven other states have the same requirement.

For now Republicans have stuck together without any divisions spilling out. But that could change if members are forced to take votes as GOP support for contraception mandates have even been backed by staunch conservatives in the past.