(Radio Iowa) – Over a thousand Christian conservatives gathered this weekend in central Iowa to hear from several likely competitors for the G-O-P’s 2024 presidential nomination. Former President Donald Trump spoke at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition event via a live video feed. Trump seemed to respond to a major anti-abortion group that’s criticized Trump for saying abortion policy should be left to the states. “I will stand proudly in defense of innocent life, just as I did for four very powerful, strong years,” Trump said. Trump reminded the audience he had appointed three U.S. Supreme Court justices, creating the court’s conservative majority that overturned Roe v Wade.

The other declared and potential Republican presidential candidates appeared in-person. Former Vice President Mike Pence said it’s likely abortion policies will be decided at the state level. “But I don’t agree with the former president who says this is a states’ only issue,” Pence told reporters after speaking to the crowd. “I mean, we’ve been given a new beginning for life in this country.” Pence said he’d sign a federal law banning abortions after the 15th week of a pregnancy.

Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has previously said he’d be hesitant to take power away from the states, but this weekend Hutchinson said he’d sign a national 15-week abortion ban into law if he’s elected president. “I signed 30 pro-life bills, over 30, during my eight years as governor,” Hutchinson said. The other candidates and potential candidates who spoke — like South Carolina Senator Tim Scott — did not focus on the abortion issue.

Larry Elder, a radio talk show host who ran for governor of California in 2021, launched a presidential campaign last week. Elder says the number one domestic problem in America is the number of children living in a home without a father married to their mother.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur, announced he was running for president in February and has criticized Democrats for pursuing a woke agenda.

Entrepreneur Perry Johnson, who announced he was running for president in February, has begun sending copies of his book to likely Iowa Caucus-goers. Without mentioning Trump by name, Johnson is criticizing Trump’s business record and the federal deficit that grew during Trump’s presidency.

Former Texas Congressman Will Hurd and former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a 2020 Democratic candidate for president, also spoke at Saturday’s event in Clive. Gabbard left the Democratic Party in October and has been a paid contributor on Fox News since November and has been a guest host for Tucker Carlson Tonight.