Latest news with #EMILY'sList
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Jersey primaries: Trump-backed Ciattarelli wins GOP nod; Sherrill wins Dem nomination
One in a pair of states with a gubernatorial race this year, New Jersey hosted the more competitive of the two primaries Tuesday night. Five Republicans and six Democrats vied to represent their party in the November general election. Yet, despite the crowded fields, both races were called within an hour of polls closing. Jack Ciattarelli, who had President Donald Trump's backing, walked away with the win among Republicans, and Rep. Mikie Sherrill came out victorious against her fellow Democrats. Ciattarelli has run in the last two gubernatorial races in New Jersey, coming in 3 points behind current Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021. The outcome between Ciattarelli and Sherrill is highly anticipated even beyond the Garden State, as a potential national bellwether ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. New Jersey voters have picked their nominees for governor. Now, attention turns south to Virginia. The commonwealth will host their primaries the following week on June 17. But unlike New Jersey, there won't be much jostling for a spot at the top of the ticket. Only two of the six statewide primary races are competitive this year, both on the Democratic side. In the governor's race, Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears have each had their party's nomination since April. -- Savannah Kuchar EMILY's List, a group focused on electing Democratic women to office, endorsed Sherrill in the primaries and celebrated her win Tuesday. 'This is a time for tough leaders, and Mikie Sherrill is as tough as they come,' EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler said in a statement, adding, 'At EMILYs List we are proud to have stood with Mikie since her first campaign, and we're thrilled to support her all the way to victory in November.' Sherrill is now one of two women representing the Democratic ticket for governor in 2025, along with former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who locked her nomination in Virginia back in April. The pair began their congressional careers the same year in 2019 and share a more moderate reputation. The Democratic National Committee, who did not endorse a candidate in the New Jersey primary, also congratulated Sherrill. 'The DNC is all hands on deck to ensure the Governor's office and Assembly remain blue in November,' DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. 'We will do everything in our power to unite the party and defeat Republican extremists like Jack Ciattarelli.' -- Savannah Kuchar Shortly after Ciattarelli clinched the Republican nomination for governor, the Democratic Governors Association released a statement bashing the former state legislator over his endorsement from the president. 'Ciattarelli's about-face to unequivocally embrace Donald Trump and his refusal to stand up to his party's extreme, costly, and unpopular agenda are too extreme for New Jersey,' said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Izzi Levy. 'Between now and November, we will make sure voters remember why they rejected his last two statewide bids.' Ciattarelli is a previous Trump critic turned presidential endorsee. In 2015, he called Trump a GOP 'charlatan.' This year, in Ciattarelli's third run for governor, Trump offered his full vocal support, including in a telephone rally with voters. Republican State Leadership Committee President Edith Jorge-Tuñón congratulated Ciattarelli in a statement Tuesday evening, and said, 'With New Jersey Republicans rallying around Jack Ciattarelli, we are well positioned to hold Democrats accountable for their poor record and work to deliver the real change that has been promised.' -- Savannah Kuchar Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor, has won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey governor, according to projections from The Washington Post and the Associated Press She beat out five party competitors, in what was the most competitive gubernatorial primary this year. Sherrill is will face Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the November general. -- Savannah Kuchar Jack Ciattarelli won the GOP nomination in New Jersey's 2025 gubernatorial election, as results from the primary trickle in. The race was called by the Washington Post and Associated Press shortly after polls closed. He earned Trump's backing in May and came into Election Day with a strong frontrunner status. Ciattarelli previously served as a member of the New Jersey general assembly and has run two prior campaigns for governor. In 2021, he came within 3 points of unseating current Gov. Phil Murphy, who is now term limited. – Savannah Kuchar More: Trump-backed candidate wins Republican nomination in New Jersey governor's race Polls are now closed in New Jersey's 2025 primaries. Results are expected later this evening and will determine both parties' nominees for governor. Republicans may have their nominee sooner, with former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli polling well ahead of his GOP competitors. -- Savannah Kuchar Polls will close in New Jersey at 8 p.m. ET on June 10. Once voting is over, New Jersey Republicans and Democrats alike will wait to learn who their official nominee for governor is in 2025. Those nominees face off later this year on November 4. – Savannah Kuchar New Jersey is one of two states with a gubernatorial race in 2025, along with Virginia. Both states typically hold their state elections in off years, between presidential and mid-term elections. This year, they are widely viewed as the first real temperature check on voters' moods and key issues since November 2024. Following the June 10 primaries in New Jersey, Virginia will host theirs June 17. While New Jersey has a crowded field of candidates vying for the governor's mansion on both sides of the aisle, Virginia's top of ticket race has been set since April. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, will face Virginia's Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears this fall. – Savannah Kuchar One area where Democrats vying to be New Jersey's next governor seem to agree are opposing President Trump's response to the anti-ICE demonstrations in California. The president's move to deploy Marines and the National Guard has sparked arguably the most significant showdown with a Democratic governor since his return to the White House. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, for example, filed an emergency motion seeking to limit the use of troops. On the New Jersey campaign trail, Sherrill and Gottheimer condemned Trump and defended Newsom's actions, according to Fox News. Baraka, as has been mentioned, has already made headlines after being detained outside an ICE facility last month. He has filed suit against the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey, claiming it was 'false arrest, malicious prosecution and defamation." New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, one of the longshot contenders, said in a June 9 post on X that if elected he wouldn't 'bend down' to Trump's tactics. 'What's happening in the streets of (Los Angeles) is not normal and we shouldn't act like it is,' Spiller said. 'From ICE tearing apart families to the President sending out the National Guard -- over the objection of the Governor -- and now apparently contemplating deploying Marines on our people - we have to stand up in solidarity and defend our democracy.' — Phillip M. Bailey Trump has owned property in Bedminster, New Jersey, since 2002. However, the president is not expected to vote in the Garden State's election. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump cast a ballot for himself from Palm Beach, part of Florida's 22nd Congressional District. USA TODAY has reached out to the White House to confirm Trump is still registered to vote in the Sunshine State. A recent inspection at Trump's ritzy golf club, located on 500-plus-acres in central New Jersey, found more than a dozen health code violations. According to a May 6 report, raw meat was improperly refrigerated, some handwashing stations lacked soap and the person in charge failed to "demonstrate knowledge of food safety." -- Savannah Kuchar and Zachary Schermele One political figure you'd think would have a lot to say about picking the Garden State's next leader is Republican Chris Christie, whose brash-style pre-dated the Trump era. The verbose former governor, who led New Jersey from 2010-2018 and twice ran for president unsuccessfully, hasn't endorsed anyone in this year's contest. He also was quiet across his socials as voters flocked to the polls Tuesday. Asked last week if he planned to support anyone, Christie told The Star-Ledger: 'I haven't decided yet.' Christie mentioned having a 'great working relationship' with Brammick, a Republican state legislator, but he mostly warned the GOP that independents -- who will be critical in the fall for any Republican -- may sour on Trump by the fall. 'If those independents have become disenchanted with what's happening in Washington under Donald Trump, that will put a significant headwind onto Republicans,' he said. — Phillip M. Bailey Rep. Mikie Sherrill is the frontrunner coming into Tuesday evening. In a May poll by Emerson College and The Hill, Sherrill was ahead with 28% of voters' support. She faces Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and fellow member of Congress Josh Gottheimer, all of whom were sitting at 11% support in last month's poll. New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and former state Sen. President Steve Sweeney are also in the running. -- Savannah Kuchar This race is particularly important for national Democrats because it will be the first major competitive primary since their shattering defeat in the 2024 presidential race. A poll conducted by Emerson College in May found among registered Democratic voters, Sherrill had a solid lead with 28%, but another 24% were undecided. In the last weeks of the race she has faced attack ads for accepting donations linked from a corporate PAC tied to SpaceX, which is owned by Trump 'frienemy' Elon Musk. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has pitched himself as the candidate most willing to take on Trump. He was thrust into the national spotlight in May after a confrontation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a federal facility But if electability remains a worry then N.J. Democrats may bet on a safer choice such as U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who co-founded a bipartisan group dubbed the "Problem Solvers Caucus" that tries to sniff out consensus in Congress. Others in the race, such as Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, are looking for an opening, too. He's been running as a 'pragmatic progressive' for voters fed up with the state's political machine. — Phillip M. Bailey Current New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and cannot run again in this year's race. Murphy has served as top official in the state since 2018 and will conclude his second consecutive term next January. His absence from the race leaves the contest wide open for either party to claim the governor's mansion. The president first announced his support for Ciattarelli in a Truth Social post on May 12. 'Jack Ciattarelli is a terrific America First Candidate running to be the next Governor of a State that I love, NEW JERSEY!' Trump wrote. 'Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100%' The two have not always been the best of buds publicly. In 2015, Ciattarelli called Trump a "charlatan." Then in his second campaign for governor in 2021, he kept the then-former president at arm's length. Bygones appear to be bygones, though. Trump told voters in a telephone rally on June 2 Ciattarelli "is the most experienced and battle-tested" candidate. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Recap: Ciattarelli, Sherill wins nominations for governor in NJ
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 summer elections to watch
A series of key primaries will take place over the summer, setting the stage for general election match-ups this November. Voters will head to the polls to choose nominees for major contests in New Jersey, home to one of only two gubernatorial races this year, and in New York City, the most populous city in the country where voters are potentially poised to choose controversial former Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, the son of one of the most well-known names in New England is challenging the sitting mayor of Boston. Here are five elections to watch this summer: The Garden State experienced one of the largest rightward shifts of any state in the 2024 presidential election, and the gubernatorial race this year will be a test of whether Republicans can continue to make inroads. The GOP primary appears increasingly likely to renominate Jack Ciattarelli, a former state Assembly member who was the Republican nominee for governor in 2021. After having lost to Gov. Phil Murphy (D) four years ago by 3 points, Ciattarelli has been the clear favorite in polling and picked up President Trump's key endorsement earlier this month. The Democratic field to replace Murphy, who is term-limited, has been much more open. Six well-established candidates are facing off against each other, and polling had shown the field in a close match-up for months, with a slight lead for Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.). But that has started to shift — Sherrill has taken a double-digit lead over her closest competitor in the most recent few polls. Still, as many as a quarter of respondents have said they're undecided, and Sherrill has only received support from up to a third of voters in polls. This could give an opening for other Democratic candidates — like Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.) — with the primary just more than two weeks away. The nominees for governor of Virginia to succeed outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) have already been chosen: GOP Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger were the only candidates to run for their respective parties' nominations. But voters will head to the polls in mid-June to choose nominees for lower-level offices, including lieutenant governor and state attorney general. The Democratic primary for Virginia's second-highest office features several candidates who have received support from notable Democratic political leaders. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi has the support of Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), various Virginia state senators and delegates and EMILY's List, while state Sen. Aaron Rouse has his own group of state senate and delegate endorsements, along with that of Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and former Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.). Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who briefly ran for governor, is also seeking the office with support from former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who co-endorsed him and Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef. Limited polling has shown Stoney, Rouse and Hashmi within range of each other. Former radio host John Reid is the only candidate running for lieutenant governor as a Republican. What normally would be an uneventful reelection campaign for the sitting mayor of one of the most liberal cities in the country quickly became a packed race to oust New York City Mayor Eric Adams amid the legal controversies surrounding him. Cuomo has been the favorite since he entered the race, and no candidate — at least yet — seems poised to be able to take him on. Polling has shown him well ahead of the crowded field for the Democratic nomination. And he's scored a range of endorsements, seemingly repairing relationships with plenty of key stakeholders since he resigned as governor in 2021 after a string of controversies. State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani has the best case to be the main alternative to Cuomo, running as a progressive and being the only other candidate regularly reaching double digits in polls. But he still has ground to make up to pull off an upset in the ranked-choice voting system. Whoever wins the Democratic primary, just one month away, will be a clear favorite in the general election, even with Adams running for a second term as an independent. For the GOP, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who was the 2021 Republican nominee, seems likely to become the nominee again, gaining support from the leaders of the party in all five boroughs. A solidly blue House seat opened up in March when the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) died following a battle with cancer. Several candidates have jumped into the Democratic primary for the seat representing Arizona's 7th Congressional District. Whoever wins the primary in mid-July should easily win the general election in September. One of the most prominent is Adelita Grijalva, the late congressman's daughter and a former member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, who vowed to uphold her father's values if elected. She's notched endorsements from both of Arizona's senators — Democrats Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego — as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and some progressives in the House. Another candidate is former state Rep. Daniel Hernández Jr., who interned for former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) and is credited with saving her life during an assassination attempt on her. He's received support from Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.). The Democratic candidates are set to face off in a debate on June 10, a month before the primary. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D), the city's first female mayor and first mayor of color, is facing a few challengers as she seeks a second term, most prominently the scion of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Josh Kraft, the former head of the New England Patriots Foundation, launched his campaign in February as a Democrat opposing Wu. He's criticized her handling of issues like affordable housing and education. Wu has argued that she's invested more in affordable housing than any past mayor and touted consistently declining gun violence since she took office. Early on, Wu seems to be in a decent position to be reelected. She's secured a range of local endorsements and one poll from last month showed her with a big lead. Kraft has gained support from former Boston Police Commissioner William Gross and a few unions. Wu, Kraft and the other candidates will participate in a nonpartisan primary in September in which the top two best-performing candidates advance to the general election in November. Kraft seems likely to advance along with Wu, and eyes will be on their performances in the primary to hint what the final result may be. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
5 summer elections to watch
A series of key primaries will take place over the summer, setting the stage for general election match-ups this November. Voters will head to the polls to choose nominees for major contests in New Jersey, home to one of only two gubernatorial races this year, and in New York City, the most populous city in the country where voters are potentially poised to choose controversial former Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, the son of one of the most well-known names in New England is challenging the sitting mayor of Boston. Here are five elections to watch this summer: The Garden State experienced one of the largest rightward shifts of any state in the 2024 presidential election, and the gubernatorial race this year will be a test of whether Republicans can continue to make inroads. The GOP primary appears increasingly likely to renominate Jack Ciattarelli, a former state Assembly member who was the Republican nominee for governor in 2021. After having lost to Gov. Phil Murphy (D) four years ago by 3 points, Ciattarelli has been the clear favorite in polling and picked up President Trump's key endorsement earlier this month. The Democratic field to replace Murphy, who is term-limited, has been much more open. Six well-established candidates are facing off against each other, and polling had shown the field in a close match-up for months, with a slight lead for Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.). But that has started to shift — Sherrill has taken a double-digit lead over her closest competitor in the most recent few polls. Still, as many as a quarter of respondents have said they're undecided, and Sherrill has only received support from up to a third of voters in polls. This could give an opening for other Democratic candidates — like Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.) — with the primary just more than two weeks away. The nominees for governor of Virginia to succeed outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) have already been chosen: GOP Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger were the only candidates to run for their respective parties' nominations. But voters will head to the polls in mid-June to choose nominees for lower-level offices, including lieutenant governor and state attorney general. The Democratic primary for Virginia's second-highest office features several candidates who have received support from notable Democratic political leaders. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi has the support of Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), various Virginia state senators and delegates and EMILY's List, while state Sen. Aaron Rouse has his own group of state senate and delegate endorsements, along with that of Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and former Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.). Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who briefly ran for governor, is also seeking the office with support from former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who co-endorsed him and Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef. Limited polling has shown Stoney, Rouse and Hashmi within range of each other. Former radio host John Reid is the only candidate running for lieutenant governor as a Republican. What normally would be an uneventful reelection campaign for the sitting mayor of one of the most liberal cities in the country quickly became a packed race to oust New York City Mayor Eric Adams amid the legal controversies surrounding him. Cuomo has been the favorite since he entered the race, and no candidate — at least yet — seems poised to be able to take him on. Polling has shown him well ahead of the crowded field for the Democratic nomination. And he's scored a range of endorsements, seemingly repairing relationships with plenty of key stakeholders since he resigned as governor in 2021 after a string of controversies. State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani has the best case to be the main alternative to Cuomo, running as a progressive and being the only other candidate regularly reaching double digits in polls. But he still has ground to make up to pull off an upset in the ranked-choice voting system. Whoever wins the Democratic primary, just one month away, will be a clear favorite in the general election, even with Adams running for a second term as an independent. For the GOP, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who was the 2021 Republican nominee, seems likely to become the nominee again, gaining support from the leaders of the party in all five boroughs. A solidly blue House seat opened up in March when the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) died following a battle with cancer. Several candidates have jumped into the Democratic primary for the seat representing Arizona's 7th Congressional District. Whoever wins the primary in mid-July should easily win the general election in September. One of the most prominent is Adelita Grijalva, the late congressman's daughter and a former member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, who vowed to uphold her father's values if elected. She's notched endorsements from both of Arizona's senators — Democrats Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego — as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and some progressives in the House. Another candidate is former state Rep. Daniel Hernández Jr., who interned for former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) and is credited with saving her life during an assassination attempt on her. He's received support from Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.). The Democratic candidates are set to face off in a debate on June 10, a month before the primary. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D), the city's first female mayor and first mayor of color, is facing a few challengers as she seeks a second term, most prominently the scion of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Josh Kraft, the former head of the New England Patriots Foundation, launched his campaign in February as a Democrat opposing Wu. He's criticized her handling of issues like affordable housing and education. Wu has argued that she's invested more in affordable housing than any past mayor and touted consistently declining gun violence since she took office. Early on, Wu seems to be in a decent position to be reelected. She's secured a range of local endorsements and one poll from last month showed her with a big lead. Kraft has gained support from former Boston Police Commissioner William Gross and a few unions. Wu, Kraft and the other candidates will participate in a nonpartisan primary in September in which the top two best-performing candidates advance to the general election in November. Kraft seems likely to advance along with Wu, and eyes will be on their performances in the primary to hint what the final result may be.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republicans plow ahead with anti-abortion agenda in states where voters approved constitutional amendments
Even as Republicans swept into power in Washington in last year's elections, abortion rights supporters found success at the ballot box across the country. But that hasn't deterred abortion opponents. Republican lawmakers have moved forward this year with bills to restrict abortion in more than half of the states where voters passed constitutional amendments in November to protect or expand reproductive rights. They've also advanced bills in a bevy of states that would make if more difficult for groups to place similar measures on the ballot in the future. Those efforts extend to three states where amendments to enshrine a constitutional right to an abortion fell short last November. 'The abortion industry's attempts to completely deregulate their industry via ballot measures is putting women and girls in danger,' Kelsey Pritchard, the director of state public affairs for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in an email. 'Republican leaders in states with pro-abortion ballot measures should be doing all that they can to protect health and safety protections for women and girls.' Reproductive rights groups say the actions — even if ultimately unsuccessful — amount to an overt rejection of the desires of voters on the issue of abortion. 'Even when their voters made their support of abortion access extremely clear with these ballot amendments, Republicans are still willing to trample them,' said Yari Aquino, who helps advise candidates for EMILY's List, a national group that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights. Aquino suggested that if conservatives' efforts continue, Democrats would be wise to keep abortion rights at the center of their platform heading into next year's midterms. 'This is why abortion rights and reproductive rights continue to be such a salient issue,' she said. In Arizona, where voters overwhelmingly chose to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution five months ago, Republicans in the state Legislature have advanced bills that would create new restrictions on the use of abortion-inducing drugs. Those include the requirement that a doctor must examine a patient before the patient can obtain the drugs. Another bill would ban doctors in the state from introducing abortion care to their patients as a prospective treatment option. The bill proposes punishing doctors and practices who 'promote' abortion care as a potential treatment option by stripping them of any contracts or funding from any state agencies. Critics argue the bills are a 'backdoor' way to eliminate Medicaid funding for any practice that even mentions abortion to a pregnant patient. 'Arizonans spoke their voice. They used their voice to say what they wanted,' said Arizona state Rep. Stephanie Simacek, a Democrat who has co-sponsored multiple bills that seek to protect or expand abortion rights. 'This is just another way for [Republicans] to push exactly what they did not get.' 'It's a backdoor way for them to try to come in and overrule the voice of the people here in Arizona,' she added. Republicans in Missouri are teeing up a ballot measure that would reverse the one voters approved in November that effectively protected abortion rights until fetal viability and undid a near-total abortion ban on the books. Conservative lawmakers in the state have also introduced legislation that would allow Missourians to wipe out most all of their tax bill if they donate what they owed in state income taxes to pregnancy resource centers, which reproductive rights advocates say are designed to steer pregnant women away from abortions. In Montana, where voters enshrined abortion access into the state constitution, GOP lawmakers responded by introducing a bill that seeks to make traveling to or from the state for an abortion later in pregnancy a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. The bill, which compared that action to human 'trafficking,' was eventually tabled. In Colorado, where abortion had already been legal through fetal viability, voters passed a measure to formally enshrine those rights. Republican legislators there introduced a bill that would make bringing a minor to the state for an abortion a felony crime. Voters in Kentucky, a Republican stronghold that has a near-total ban on abortion, rejected an initiative in 2023 to amend the state constitution to explicitly state that there isn't a right to abortion. Republican lawmakers still passed a bill that abortion advocates said further narrowed the medical exceptions that had been allowed under the existing abortion ban. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed the bill, but Republicans in the Legislature used their supermajority to override it. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in at least 15 states have advanced bills in recent weeks that would make it more difficult for proposed constitutional amendments to qualify for the ballot. In Arizona, Missouri and South Dakota, legislators are attempting to raise the threshold for passage for ballot measures to 60% from a simple majority. In those states, as well as Montana, Nebraska, Florida and Arkansas, Republicans have also advanced bills that create more onerous signature requirements for proposed amendments to qualify for the ballot. (Voters rejected amendments to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution in 2024 in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota.) Groups that advocate for reproductive rights and for ballot measures said these actions are an effort to roll back voters' rights. 'Ballot measures have been a lifeline to working people in red and purple states, allowing them to make change even when politicians fail to represent their interests. Legislators are trying to systematically take that power away,' Kelly Hall, the executive director of the Fairness Project, a nonprofit organization that helps progressive groups advance citizen-led ballot initiatives, said in a statement. 'This is their playbook,' Hall said, adding that when 'politicians know they can't win with voters on the issues, they try to change the rules of the game.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Republicans plow ahead with anti-abortion agenda in states where voters approved constitutional amendments
Even as Republicans swept into power in Washington in last year's elections, abortion rights supporters found success at the ballot box across the country. But that hasn't deterred abortion opponents. Republican lawmakers have moved forward this year with bills to restrict abortion in more than half of the states where voters passed constitutional amendments in November to protect or expand reproductive rights. They've also advanced bills in a bevy of states that would make if more difficult for groups to place similar measures on the ballot in the future. Those efforts extend to three states where amendments to enshrine a constitutional right to an abortion fell short last November. 'The abortion industry's attempts to completely deregulate their industry via ballot measures is putting women and girls in danger,' Kelsey Pritchard, the director of state public affairs for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in an email. 'Republican leaders in states with pro-abortion ballot measures should be doing all that they can to protect health and safety protections for women and girls.' Reproductive rights groups say the actions — even if ultimately unsuccessful — amount to an overt rejection of the desires of voters on the issue of abortion. 'Even when their voters made their support of abortion access extremely clear with these ballot amendments, Republicans are still willing to trample them,' said Yari Aquino, who helps advise candidates for EMILY's List, a national group that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights. Aquino suggested that if conservatives' efforts continue, Democrats would be wise to keep abortion rights at the center of their platform heading into next year's midterms. 'This is why abortion rights and reproductive rights continue to be such a salient issue,' she said. In Arizona, where voters overwhelmingly chose to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution five months ago, Republicans in the state Legislature have advanced bills that would create new restrictions on the use of abortion-inducing drugs. Those include the requirement that a doctor must examine a patient before the patient can obtain the drugs. Another bill would ban doctors in the state from introducing abortion care to their patients as a prospective treatment option. The bill proposes punishing doctors and practices who 'promote' abortion care as a potential treatment option by stripping them of any contracts or funding from any state agencies. Critics argue the bills are a 'backdoor' way to eliminate Medicaid funding for any practice that even mentions abortion to a pregnant patient. 'Arizonans spoke their voice. They used their voice to say what they wanted,' said Arizona state Rep. Stephanie Simacek, a Democrat who has co-sponsored multiple bills that seek to protect or expand abortion rights. 'This is just another way for [Republicans] to push exactly what they did not get.' 'It's a backdoor way for them to try to come in and overrule the voice of the people here in Arizona,' she added. Republicans in Missouri are teeing up a ballot measure that would reverse the one voters approved in November that effectively protected abortion rights until fetal viability and undid a near-total abortion ban on the books. Conservative lawmakers in the state have also introduced legislation that would allow Missourians to wipe out most all of their tax bill if they donate what they owed in state income taxes to pregnancy resource centers, which reproductive rights advocates say are designed to steer pregnant women away from abortions. In Montana, where voters enshrined abortion access into the state constitution, GOP lawmakers responded by introducing a bill that seeks to make traveling to or from the state for an abortion later in pregnancy a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. The bill, which compared that action to human 'trafficking,' was eventually tabled. In Colorado, where abortion had already been legal through fetal viability, voters passed a measure to formally enshrine those rights. Republican legislators there introduced a bill that would make bringing a minor to the state for an abortion a felony crime. Voters in Kentucky, a Republican stronghold that has a near-total ban on abortion, rejected an initiative in 2023 to amend the state constitution to explicitly state that there isn't a right to abortion. Republican lawmakers still passed a bill that abortion advocates said further narrowed the medical exceptions that had been allowed under the existing abortion ban. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed the bill, but Republicans in the Legislature used their supermajority to override it. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in at least 15 states have advanced bills in recent weeks that would make it more difficult for proposed constitutional amendments to qualify for the ballot. In Arizona, Missouri and South Dakota, legislators are attempting to raise the threshold for passage for ballot measures to 60% from a simple majority. In those states, as well as Montana, Nebraska, Florida and Arkansas, Republicans have also advanced bills that create more onerous signature requirements for proposed amendments to qualify for the ballot. (Voters rejected amendments to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution in 2024 in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota.) Groups that advocate for reproductive rights and for ballot measures said these actions are an effort to roll back voters' rights. 'Ballot measures have been a lifeline to working people in red and purple states, allowing them to make change even when politicians fail to represent their interests. Legislators are trying to systematically take that power away,' Kelly Hall, the executive director of the Fairness Project, a nonprofit organization that helps progressive groups advance citizen-led ballot initiatives, said in a statement. 'This is their playbook,' Hall said, adding that when 'politicians know they can't win with voters on the issues, they try to change the rules of the game.'
