Florida congresswoman's pregnancy termination makes the case for small government

Miami Herald

13 hours ago

U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack's experience trying to end a pregnancy last year, which she has been publicly discussing, makes an argument for small, limited government.
Hear me out: Last May, shortly after Florida's Heartbeat Protection Act became law, the Florida congresswoman suffered a life‑threatening ectopic pregnancy — an embryo implanted outside the womb. The law has limited exceptions for abortions, such as if a woman's life is in danger, but they are vague.
At five weeks pregnant, Cammack had to convince doctors to give her medication to end the unviable pregnancy. She was met with resistance from doctors and nurses because they feared prosecution under Florida's six-week abortion ban.
The hesitation could have put Cammack's life in danger.
Florida's law prohibits abortions after six weeks and has limited exemptions that aren't fully defined. That can leave medical workers in legal gray areas. When healthcare providers face potential felony charges for making split-second medical decisions, caution becomes a matter of self-preservation, not politics.
Cammack had to convince her doctors to treat her: She pulled up the Florida statute on her phone. She called the governor's office but got no response. Eventually, she got the shot she needed to end the pregnancy.
Her experience could've sparked an honest discussion about of the dangers of government overreach into women's bodies. I'm politically conservative but I think government should stay out of people's personal lives.
Cammack, however, didn't use this moment to talk about how the law's vagueness may have put her life at risk. Instead, she deflected, blaming the left and telling the Wall Street Journal it was 'absolute fearmongering at its worst.' Instead of acknowledging the flaws with the law, she insisted to Fox News on Friday, 'the left absolutely played a role in making sure that doctors and women were scared to seek out the help that they needed.' Since the Wall Street Journal article was published, she said her office had to be evacuated due to death threats against her and her family.
Cammack's reflexive blaming of the left shows a troubling disconnect from reality.
Her providers weren't reacting to headlines. They were navigating serious legal risk. Violating the Florida abortion law can mean up to five years in prison, fines of up to $5,000 and loss of medical licenses for healthcare providers.
Cammack's experience hardened her stance against abortion. (She insists she did not have one, though her pregnancy was terminated.) In January 2025 — months after her experience — she co-sponsored H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The bill passed 220-210 in the House, mandates medical care for infants born alive after an abortion and includes criminal penalties for healthcare providers who fail to comply.
She continues to support laws that create barriers to these drugs and procedures — despite having benefited from discretion and flexibility in care.
Cammack has said she wants to 'get the politics out of women's health care.' I suggest she start with refusing to pass legislation that allows for the government to have a say in what a woman does with her body.
I am not arguing for erasing moral boundaries or allowing late-term abortion. Nor is this about being pro-life or pro-choice. It's about whether we, as conservatives, are willing to apply our principles consistently. We are quick to tout limited government when it comes to business, regulation and taxation. But somehow when it comes to women's bodies and their healthcare, we allow the state to intervene freely.
Individual liberty applies to all aspects of life — not just the ones we're comfortable with.
While Cammack received life-saving treatment, other Florida women may not be so fortunate. She survived because of her resources and her ability to navigate legal ambiguity that would be overwhelming for many women without her resources.
Cammack lived to tell her story. Many other women may not have the same fortune. That is a commentary on the privilege of power and a cautionary tale of what happens when we selectively apply limited government principles.
Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: [e-mail]