Shouts of “Shame!” and “Save women’s lives!” echoed through the Arizona House chambers on Wednesday as Republican lawmakers thwarted Democratic attempts to repeal the state’s newly reinstated near-total abortion ban dating back to 1864.
The 160-year-old law, which the Arizona Supreme Court ruled could take effect, outlaws abortion in nearly all cases except to save the life of the pregnant woman. Doctors who violate the ban could face 2 to 5 years in prison.
In a stunning turn of events, state House Rep. Matt Gress (R) initially motioned to vote on repealing the ban.
However, his fellow Republicans quickly called a recess, adjourning the session and bringing any action to a halt.
“By their actions, the message from this chamber is that they are so pro-life they will kill you,” state Sen.
Anna Hernandez (D) wrote on Twitter after also being silenced when trying to introduce a repeal motion.
The chaotic scenes unfolded just a day after the state Supreme Court’s bombshell 4-2 ruling that the Civil War-era ban could be enforced, overriding a 15-week abortion ban passed in 2022.
The decision thrust the deeply divisive issue back into the spotlight in Arizona, a key battleground state in the 2024 presidential and congressional elections.
Democrats, who support abortion rights, decried the ruling as “unconscionable” and an “affront to freedom“.
They are now banking on voter backlash to carry them to victory in November, as signatures are being gathered for a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
“This will supercharge signature collection,“ said Ezra Levin of the progressive group Indivisible, which aims to gather 800,000 signatures by July.
Check Also: Trump Bid to Delay Hush Money Trial Rejected by Appeals Court
Meanwhile, the court decision has split Republicans, with some condemning the change despite previously backing abortion restrictions.
GOP figures facing tough re-election fights, like Senate candidate Kari Lake and Reps. David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani, are calling for the ban’s repeal.
However, it remains unclear if Republican legislative leaders, who hold slim majorities, will allow any repeal vote. House Speaker Ben Toma (R) reportedly opposes the ban’s repeal and won’t permit a vote.
As the battle over abortion rights intensifies, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit Arizona on Friday for an event focused on “reproductive freedom“. The White House blasted the ban as “cruel“, while President Biden put support for abortion rights at the center of his re-election campaign.
With the November election just months away, the political shockwaves from Arizona’s abortion ruling are only beginning. As one Republican consultant put it:
“This is a powerful change in the political landscape.”
Check Also: Woman shot killed by ex-father-in-law during deposition Las Vegas law office