Abortion Rights on the Ballot in Ohio and Virginia
On Tuesday, Ohio residents will be voting on whether to guarantee abortion rights, while Virginia voters will decide whether to give Republicans the power to impose new limits on the procedure. This has brought the issue of abortion back into the spotlight, with national Republicans and Democrats closely watching these races for clues about the U.S. electorate’s stance ahead of the 2024 campaign for both the White House and Congress.
The 2022 midterm elections saw voter anger over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion, which helped the Democratic party avoid a Republican landslide. Therefore, the elections in Ohio and Virginia will be crucial in assessing whether abortion remains as politically potent as it has been in recent years.
Ohio is the latest abortion battleground, with the amendment on the ballot aiming to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. This has sparked campaigns from anti-abortion forces, who argue that the amendment is too extreme, and abortion rights groups, who have warned that rejecting it could lead to stringent bans taking effect.
In Virginia, a Republican victory in the legislative races could lead to a ban on abortion, with Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin expressing his intention to pursue a 15-week abortion limit if Republicans take control of the legislature.
The outcome of these elections will not only have a direct impact on abortion rights in these states but will also influence the national political landscape, as both parties use these races to gauge the electorate’s stance on this divisive issue.