Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) told The Daily Beast that, in theory, passing state laws to jumpstart a legal challenge to Roe was a smart idea. But Rogers said he disagreed with the Alabama bill’s language on cases of rape and incest.

“I worry that if they’re that rigid, how that may impact the Supreme Court’s ultimate view of what they’re trying to do,” said Rogers.

“My hope is one of the other bills that has the exception in it actually gets to the court,” he said, referencing legislation in other states to restrict abortion access. “That has a better chance of overturning Roe than the Alabama bill does.”

The skepticism from Rogers reflected the broader mood of national Republicans. Not many were willing to offer defenses of the Alabama bill on its merits, choosing instead to talk legal strategies or point the finger at the opposition. Asked whether President Trump supports the Alabama law, Judd Deere, a spokesman for the White House, offered a statement that didn’t reference the law.