Page 2 - aruba-today-20220819

A2 UP FRONT
Friday 19 august 2022
Continued from Front cal scenario "right now."
Of course, supporters of Back in Wisconsin, Evers,
abortion rights are now a who is up for reelection this
distinct minority in Republi- year, has consistently ve-
can politics. Just two GOP toed anti-abortion legisla-
members of Congress — tion brought forth in recent
Sens. Lisa Murkowski of years by the Republican
Alaska and Susan Collins legislature. The Republican
of Maine — publicly sup- candidate for governor,
port passing legislation to Tim Michels, who won the
reinstate the protections of Republican primary last
a woman's right to choose week, said during his cam-
that the Supreme Court paign that the state's 1849
struck down in overruling law is "an exact mirror" of
Roe v. Wade. In Colorado, his position; he doesn't sup-
U.S. Senate candidate Joe port exceptions for rape or
O'Dea is the rare Republi- incest.
can running this year who The July AP-NORC poll
backs codifying Roe. showed 55% of moderate
But the debate over even a and liberal Republicans
limited set of circumstances said abortion in general
in which abortion could be should be legal in all or
legal spurred some division most cases and 39% said
within the GOP in Wisconsin abortion should be illegal
and elsewhere. in most cases. Just 5% said
In Indiana, after a decade abortion should be illegal in
of stalled legislation on all cases.
abortion, empowered Re- Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addresses a joint session of the Legislature in the Assembly chambers But even among conserva-
during the governor's State of the State speech at the state Capitol Feb. 15, 2022, in Madison, Wis.
publicans passed the first Behind Evers is Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, left, R-Rochester, and Senate President Chris Kap- tive Republicans, only 24%
near-total abortion ban enga, R-Delafield. say abortion should be ille-
since the Supreme Court Associated Press gal in all cases; 60% of con-
ruling. But even that mea- servative Republicans said
sure drew dissent within the when fetal cardiac activ- in the Republican primary. vative anti-abortion op- abortion should be illegal in
GOP. Exemptions for rape ity is detected, at about six Prioritization of abortion ponents — they want total most cases.
and incest up to 10 weeks weeks. Florida's law bans and women's rights is grow- abortion bans — and the The subject is increasingly
prevailed after 50 Republi- abortion at 15 weeks, and ing among abortion rights moderate or independent the focus of ads for Demo-
cans joined with all Demo- Arizona's will as of Sep. 24. supporters, and Democrats voter, who is more accept- cratic candidates for the
crats to include them. Some experts say the in- are seeking to capitalize on ing of abortion at early U.S. House and Senate this
Still, 18 Republicans voted consistency among Re- the shift by campaigning points in the pregnancy summer, while it's tapered
against final passage of the publicans about how to on the issue and pushing and in extenuating circum- off in ads for Republican
bill, with roughly half saying move forward underscores for ballot measures in other stances. candidates, according to
the bill went too far and the how new the debate is — states. That's led some candidates analysis by the Wesleyan
rest saying it was too weak. and how unprepared the Polling shows the most ex- to pivot from hard-line po- Media Project. Democrats
In South Carolina, mean- party was for it. treme anti-abortion laws sitions in their primaries are painting Republicans
while, Republicans have "Historically, GOP candi- are at odds with the Ameri- to more diffuse rhetoric as extreme on abortion,
spent decades curtailing dates and policy makers can public and even most ahead of their general hoping to see the issue win
abortion access and there were in a politically conve- Republicans. election in purple states. over voters in the midterm
is ongoing discussion about nient spot when it came to The July AP-NORC poll In Arizona, the Republican elections.
a near-total ban. But some being 'pro-life,'" University showed Republicans are candidate for governor, "If we want to be relevant to
in the legislature voiced of Denver political science largely opposed to abor- Kari Lake, who said dur- the debate, there's got to
concern about pushing the professor Joshua Wilson tion "for any reason" and at ing the primary that "abor- be some negotiation. If we
current six-week ban fur- told the AP in an email. 15 weeks into a pregnancy. tion is the ultimate sin" and draw a hard line, we may
ther and urged decelera- Until Roe was overturned, But only 16% of Republi- abortion pills should be out- be on the outside looking in
tion, particularly after see- Republican-controlled cans say abortion gener- lawed, punted to the Leg- in legislative chambers and
ing voters in Kansas spike a states could introduce leg- ally should be "illegal in all islature when asked about in Congress," said Republi-
ballot measure that would islation to dismantle abor- cases." the specifics of abortion can strategist Jason Roe.
have allowed the legisla- tion access, knowing that Most Republicans said their policy after she won. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life
ture there to ban abortion. federal courts bound by state should generally allow When he was running to America President Marjo-
"It's like you are playing with the law at the time would a pregnant person to ob- be Georgia Republicans' rie Dannenfelser said the
live ammunition right now," block the most aggressive tain a legal abortion if the nominee for the U.S. Sen- overturning of Roe democ-
Republican Rep. Tom Davis regulations. That and the is- child would be born with ate, Herschel Walker was ratizes the process of regu-
told The Associated Press. sue's lower salience among a life-threatening illness unequivocal in his support lating abortion and it's up
The Supreme Court ruling Democratic and moderate (61%), the person became for an outright abortion to each state to come to
paved the way for severe voters, Wilson noted, "were pregnant as the result of ban with no exceptions. a consensus "where it's very
abortion restrictions or bans linked guardrails against rape or incest (77%) or if the Now that he is the nominee likely that the true believers
in nearly half the states. political backlash." person's health is seriously running in a tight general on both sides will not get
Nine states currently have The rejected ballot mea- endangered (85%). election contest, he's more what they want," she said.
laws banning abortion from sure in Kansas surprised A majority of Republicans, circumspect. When asked Still, to Dannenfelser, "every
conception, with three advocates on both sides, 56%, also said their state plainly whether he'd vote single law that's passed is a
more — Tennessee, Idaho not only because it was should generally allow for an absolute prohibition gain for the pro-life move-
and Texas — set to take defeated by a 20-per- abortion at six weeks into a in a Republican-controlled ment because for almost
effect on Aug. 25. Three centage-point margin pregnancy. Senate, Walker demurred. 50 years, we had nothing,"
states — Georgia, South but also because turnout GOP politicians may begin "That's an 'if,'" Walker said, she said. "It's more than we
Carolina and Ohio — have surged, driven by voters to face pressure to satisfy telling reporters he won't had, and so that's how I
laws banning abortion who weren't participating their base's most conser- entertain such a hypotheti- look at it."q