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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 21 November 2023

Voters back abortion rights, but some foes won’t relent

Continued from Front Page criminalized a doctor’s or
nurse’s failure to provide
...refusing to bring state lifesaving care to a baby
laws into line with voter- born alive after an at-
backed changes, moving tempted abortion; such
to strip state courts of their cases typically involve se-
power to consider abor- vere medical problems.
tion-related laws and chal- Republicans countered by
lenging the citizen-led bal- passing a version of the re-
lot initiative process itself. jected measure into law.
“We.Are.Not.Done.,” Ohio Kentucky Republicans
state Rep. Jennifer Gross chose to leave intact a
declared on the social me- state ban on abortion at
dia platform X two days all stages of pregnancy,
after voters enshrined the even though voters there
right to abortion in the defeated a measure that
state constitution ear- would have denied consti-
lier this month. She and 25 tutional protections for the
other Republican lawmak- procedure.
ers vowed to block the In Ohio, some notable top
amendment from reversing Republicans are rejecting
Ohio’s existing abortion re- Ohio State Rep. Jennifer Gross, R-West Chester, holding a “Choose Life” sign, fourth from left, stands anti-democratic sugges-
on stage as Ohio Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, speaks during the Ohio March for Life rally at
strictions. the Ohio State House in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. tions and standing up for
A strong majority of Ohio Associated Press voters.
voters passed the amend- “In this country, we accept
ment, by roughly 57% to to thwart the abortion- That has led some Republi- “And that damage is in- the results of elections,”
43%. In response, the group rights amendment were cans who support abortion credibly difficult to undo,” said GOP Gov. Mike DeW-
of lawmakers said in a joint announced. A constituent restrictions to target the she said. ine, a leading opponent
statement: “We will do ev- who said she supported Is- ballot initiative process, a For many abortion oppo- of Issue 1. Republican At-
erything in our power to sue 1, Emily Jackson, was form of direct democracy nents, the issue is “a sacred torney General Dave Yost
prevent our laws from be- incredulous. that is available to voters in cause, the thing that can- tweeted that he “scoured”
ing removed based upon “You’re ignoring the voice. only about half the states. not be argued with,” one the Ohio Constitution, but
perception of intent.” The voice is there,” Jackson “Thank goodness that most that may outweigh the found “no exception for
Gross joined three fellow said. “We spoke.” of the states in this coun- importance of maintain- matters in which the out-
Republicans to go even Gross told Jackson she try don’t allow you to put ing democratic practices, come of an election is con-
further, proposing legisla- wasn’t ignoring voters but everything on the ballot said Myrna Perez, associate trary to the preferences of
tion to prevent Ohio courts rather was reflecting oppo- because pure democra- professor of Gender and those in power.”
from interpreting any cases nents’ concerns that Ohio cies are not the way to run American Religion at Ohio “All political power is in-
related to the abortion- voters were led astray. The a country,” said Rick San- University. herent in the people,” he
rights amendment, known campaign drew big money torum, a former U.S. sena- “Things aren’t static, so quoted the document as
as Issue 1. Similar efforts from outside the state for tor from Pennsylvania and you’re trying to figure out saying.
have emerged in six other both sides. one-time presidential can- a way to get the system Republican state legislative
states since state courts Gross did not return call didate. He spoke about to give you the results that leaders initially pledged
became the new abor- and emails seeking addi- Ohio’s election results dur- you want,” she said. that the fight to restrict
tion battleground after the tional comment. ing an appearance on the Andrew Whitehead, asso- abortion rights wasn’t over
Dobbs decision on June 24, Advocates contend that conservative site NewsMax. ciate professor of sociology after voters had spoken.
2022, that overturned Roe strict abortion laws also are Another elected Repub- at Indiana University–Pur- But as their party grap-
v. Wade. undemocratic in the most lican, North Dakota state due University Indianapolis, ples with the anti-abortion
Douglas Keith, senior coun- basic sense because a ma- Rep. Brandon Prichard, said Christian nationalists, movement’s deep divi-
sel to the Brennan Center jority of Americans oppose weighed in on X, formerly who have deep ties to the sions, House Speaker Jason
for Justice’s Judiciary Pro- them. According to AP Vo- Twitter, to encourage Re- anti-abortion movement, Stephens and Senate Presi-
gram, said abortion politics teCast, a nationwide survey publicans to defy the out- have a history of viewing dent Matt Huffman have
prompted successful efforts of more than 94,000 voters, come of Ohio’s election. access to fundamental appeared to soften their
to limit the power of state 63% of those who voted in “It would be an act of cour- democratic processes such tone.
courts in Montana and the 2022 midterm elections age to ignore the results of as voting not as a right but Stephens signaled he won’t
Utah and unsuccessful leg- said abortion should be the election and not allow a privilege that should be advance Gross’s court-lim-
islation in Alaska and Kan- legal in most or all cases. for the murder of Ohio ba- afforded only to those who iting bill. Huffman, a devout
sas. Such bills are attempts An Associated Press-NORC bies,” he wrote. align with their beliefs. Catholic, walked back sug-
to dismantle the govern- Center for Public Affairs Re- Some political observers “When it comes to enforc- gestions that he could pur-
ment’s system of checks search poll taken a year see a larger danger in such ing their vision for America sue an immediate repeal
and balances, he said. after the Supreme Court’s sentiments. they think is ordained by of Issue 1.
“An attempt to strip the decision found that about Sophia Jordán Wallace, a God, they will set aside de- They were among Ohio
courts’ ability to interpret two-thirds of Americans political science professor mocracy,” Whitehead said. Republicans who defied
Issue 1 seems to me to be overall said abortion should at the University of Wash- Anti-abortion lawmakers their own law and called
picking a fight with not just generally be legal. ington, said “the frequen- and advocates already a special election in Au-
the courts, but with vot- In all seven states where cy and the explicitness of have pushed back in a gust aimed at raising the
ers themselves,” Keith said abortion has been on the these undemocratic at- handful of states where threshold for passing future
in reference to the Ohio ballot since Roe v. Wade tempts are increasing” voters sided generally with constitutional amendments
amendment. fell, voters have either sup- and that they threaten to abortion rights. from a simple majority to
That conflict was on display ported protecting abortion do long-term damage to In Montana, voters last fall 60%.q
during a town hall hosted rights or rejected an at- American institutions and rejected a legislative ref-
by Gross after her efforts tempt to erode them. the public’s faith in them. erendum that would have