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Abortion rights are factoring into midterm races nationwide : NPR


Attendees march during a rally encouraging voters to vote yes for the 2nd Amendment, adding a permanent ban on abortion to the Kentucky state constitution at the state Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, on May 1. 10 year 2022.

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Attendees march during a rally encouraging voters to vote yes for the 2nd Amendment, adding a permanent ban on abortion to the Kentucky state constitution at the state Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, on May 1. 10 year 2022.

Stefani Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images

Abortion ranks among voters’ top problem for midterm 2022.

The question is for Democrats, who are historically at a disadvantage as the party in power in the White House and face growing concerns about inflation and the rest of the economy. the economy – is the energy unleashed by the U.S. Supreme Court decision this summer to be upside down Roe v. Wade can be harnessed at the polls, and to some extent that energy can overcome voters’ economic worries.

Republicans, meanwhile, are largely focused on voters’ concerns about economy, inflation, and crime. In some cases, they are trying distance from them from some of the most severe abortion restrictions that have been in effect since this summer Dobbs sues Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.

Here’s a look at where abortion, in one form or another, is on the ballot.

Voting Measures

Abortion rights advocates saw a big and largely unforeseen problem victory in Kansas in August when voters in the red state repeatedly rejected a ballot initiative that would have added language claiming that the state constitution had no protections for abortion rights. But that was only about six weeks after Dobbs decision has been released.

The issue is on the ballots in several other states for this midterm election, including against abortion measure in Montanaand measures in California and Vermont that would explicitly protect the constitutional right to abortion in those states.

  • Michigan – Likely the most watched abortion-related ballot measure, voters are considering a citizen-led effort to amend the Michigan constitution to protect the right to abortion. The Michigan Supreme Court allowed the initiative process to continue after Republicans led efforts to prevent the amendment from being brought before voters.
  • Kentucky – Hoping to replicate their victory in Kansas, abortion rights advocates in Kentucky hired Rachel Sweet, who had led the successful opposition to that amendment in Kansas, to run their campaign against a similar ballot measure in Kentucky.

State government control

Nikki Vinckier participates in a campaign rally on November 3, 2022 in Warren, Mich., for Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer faces Republican Tudor Dixon in Tuesday’s gubernatorial election.

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Nikki Vinckier participates in a campaign rally on November 3, 2022 in Warren, Mich., for Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer faces Republican Tudor Dixon in Tuesday’s gubernatorial election.

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The inversion of Roe sent the question of abortion back to the states – making state legislators and governors critically important in determining the laws and policies that govern the procedure.

Governor races with mixed-party control will be key, especially in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Kansas – where Democratic governors have struggled to impose restrictive abortion laws.

  • In Wisconsinwhere suppliers have stop performing abortion while beforeRoeWhile the ban is being sued, incumbent Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Republican Tim Michels. Michels recently promised he would “never arrest a doctor” although he supports a ban on abortion with some limited exceptions.
  • Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer led a successful legal battle to block that status firstRoe ban, and the long-term future of abortion rights will depend largely on the outcome of both the state’s ballot initiative and Whitmer’s race against Republican Tudor Dixon, who opposes abortion rights .
  • In North Carolina, control of the state government is split between Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and the Republican-controlled legislature. While Cooper does not face re-election this year, Democrats fear Republicans could win a super majority in the state legislature and with it, the ability to pass an abortion ban without the governor’s signature. Laphonza Butler, president of Emily’s List, which elects women candidates for abortion rights, said a Republican majority in North Carolina would have an impact on people in “the entire southeast region of the state.” country”, where abortion has been significantly restricted in many states. In 2021, Cooper veto the law that would ban abortions based on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.
  • Across the country, advocates are also targeting races that are often operating relatively low-key, but could have a significant impact on abortion regulation. State judicial races are in the spotlight in Ohio and Kansasfor example, as abortion rights advocates increase protest against the state constitution of legal challenges to the abortion ban. In some states, advocacy groups are also focusing on races for general counseland even local prosecutor – positions with authority to decide whether and how to enforce abortion restrictions.

Control of Congress

Supporters of both sides of the abortion debate want to see national legislation on the issue.

Abortion rights advocates pushed for the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which was designed to codify Roe protections in federal law. That law go through the house last year in a huge symbolic vote but fell short of the votes to pass the Senate vote.

Anti-abortion groups are support law proposed by South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham to ban the procedure nationwide after 15 weeks.

Marilyn Musgrave, SBA Pro-Life America’s vice president of government affairs, said that without a nationwide ban on abortion, people would continue to travel from states with restrictions to those with laws. more liberal abortion.

For example, “California is going to be an abortion destination — it’s going to be like abortion tourism,” Musgrave said.

Musgrave said her team is working to flip the House and Senate into Republican hands.

President Biden promised he will veto any such anti-abortion legislation could be passed while he was in office, but NARAL Pro-Choice America Mini President Timmaraju said that was too close to be comfortable.

“We certainly don’t want to let it go that far. It’s a bad precedent,” Timmaraju said. “We absolutely won’t let it get to that point; that’s our goal.”

Abortion and inflation?

Butler, of Emily’s List, said she hopes abortion rights will be a top priority for voters in what many political observers say could be a tough midterm term for Democrats. owner.

Butler said: “The voters are the whole people; they bring themselves to the ballot box. “And what we’ve been through as a country is our economy shrinking and growing – but once our basic freedoms are taken away, we don’t know if Can we get that back?”

To that end, a national coalition of abortion rights groups is spending $150 million this campaign season, along with hundreds of thousands of people. millions more in abortion-focused ads from the Democratic candidates themselves.

Meanwhile, SBA Pro-Life America Musgrave said the Women Speak Out Pac group reached out to about 8 million voters nationwide on behalf of anti-abortion candidates and related voting measures.

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