Abortion is, besides being a life-saving healthcare measure, likely to be one of the top issues that decide the 2024 election.
Donald Trump, Kari Lake, and other Republicans know this. Accordingly, many of them are running on promises that they won’t fight for a national ban on the procedure and that they’ll support the three standard exceptions of rape, incest, and saving the mother’s life or health.
Arizona Republicans, though, keep stepping up to show exactly why voters can’t rely on those promises.
In fact, Trump himself assured the public earlier this month, after Arizona’s Supreme Court ruled that an 1864 abortion ban can go into effect, that the governor and legislature would fix it, and undo the extreme legislation that prevents women from accessing abortion care except to save their lives.
The legislature voted, and Republicans did not vote to repeal the law. Now, there’s been another round of voting, and the Arizona GOP reaffirmed their opposition to a repeal.
Arizona Democratic Representative Alma Hernandez made a motion on Wednesday supporting a vote on legislation from Representative Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton (D), and every Republican but one voted down the effort to even consider it.
As seen below via KJZZ reporter Camryn Sanchez, that amounted to a tie vote, and “still a fail.”
Gress is voting yes with dems now. But 30-30 is still a fail. pic.twitter.com/gc0EAh0HFb
— Camryn Sanchez (@CamrynSanchezAZ) April 17, 2024
Along the way, she notes, Republican Rep. Ben Toma interjected to say that he sees abortion as the murder of babies. His position seems to be the one his party is choosing to take, despite the fears from Trump, Lake, and others that it will pre-empt their election chances.
In fact, it’s being seen as a test of Trump’s influence over the party. Hours before the vote, the debate was over whether Arizona Republicans were more afraid of Trump’s wrath, or the ire of Center for Arizona Policy president, Cathi Herrod, who has been demanding that right-wing politicians stand by their promises to uphold anti-choice laws.
The Bulwark reported:
“Who are Republicans in the Legislature more scared of? Cathi Herrod,” says Chuck Coughlin, a veteran Arizona Republican consultant. “She has a lot of influence. She’s everywhere in the state Capitol. She pays attention. She has done this for decades. And you don’t cross her.”
It seems they’ve made their choice — and in November, the voters will have a chance to do the same.
In the meantime, unfortunately, Arizona women will not.
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