Indeed, Arizona Democratic Party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano called abortion a “mobilizing issue” for Arizona voters ahead of this year’s elections. On Arizona’s ballot measure to enshrine abortion in the state constitution, Bejarano said The Guardian“When abortion is on the ballot, like we saw in Kansas, we saw in Ohio, what happened in Virginia, people don’t want the government to interfere in their decisions to grow or start a family. People in Arizona and across the country believe that everyone should be free to decide how and when to start and grow a family, without political interference. This is a big deal. ” Bejarano also cites abortion as a crucial part of the Democrats’ campaign message: “In 2022, we elected pro-choice Democrats from top to bottom: our attorney general, our secretary of state, our governor. They were talking about abortion and that’s what got them over the finish line.
Across the United States throughout 2023, abortion-related ballot measures were found to have attracted large numbers of voters, making abortion activists optimistic for the 2024 elections. Voter interest in abortion could also help President Joe Biden as he seeks re-election at a time when enthusiasm is rather low. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris launches ‘Fight for Reproductive Freedoms’ tour focused on abortion after Biden administration faces criticism for not having defended the issue of reproductive freedom more vigorously. The multi-party success of Ohio’s No. 1 — the proposal to add abortion rights to the Ohio state constitution — earlier this year, with about 56 percent of Ohio voters voting voted in favor of it, suggests that Republican voters are ready to abandon their party to vote pro-choice. As such, this could prove a key pillar of Biden’s fight in a very likely rematch with Trump.
For many Democrats and pro-choice voters, the question is: Will this be enough? According to Kimberly Inez McGuire, executive director of Urge: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, cited in The Guardian“Abortion is a winning issue, including in states considered red. Young people, black voters, rural voters – voters across Ohio came out and we saw support in every corner of the state. The lesson for other states is: don’t take anyone for granted. Don’t assume they will support you, but don’t assume they will oppose you either.
