In a series of significant electoral victories, pro-abortion rights advocates in the United States have secured wins for Democrat candidates that will advance abortion rights, even in traditionally
conservative states like Ohio and Kentucky.
Voters in Ohio were asked to decide on an amendment to the state constitution that would guarantee the right to have an abortion. With 93 percent of the ballots counted, the amendment was poised to pass comfortably, with 55.8 percent of voters in favor, according to CBS News. This outcome extends a winning streak for abortion access advocates following the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn the 1972 Roe v. Wade ruling and eliminate a nationwide right to end pregnancies.
In Virginia, Democrats regained full control of the General Assembly, allowing them to continue blocking Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's plan to pursue a ban on most abortions beyond 15 weeks after conception.
Meanwhile, in Kentucky, Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, who campaigned on abortion rights, was projected to win a second four-year term in a traditionally ultra-conservative state.
In Pennsylvania, Democrat Dan McCaffery, a former judge and prosecutor who supports abortion rights, secured an open seat on Pennsylvania's Supreme Court, preserving a strong Democratic majority on the court.
These victories support the Democrats' strategy of placing abortion-related referendums on the ballot, even in conservative states. The strategy will continue in the 2024 elections with similar referendums planned for swing states Arizona and Florida.
This string of victories is seen as a boost for US President Joe Biden, who has been trailing in the polls and facing scrutiny for his response to various issues, including the Gaza war.
Access to abortion in the US has faced renewed threats since the conservative Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, leading several states to introduce near-total abortion bans and strict limits on abortion access in 2022. Photo by Nicolas Henderson, Wikimedia commons.