In the past week, most of the national conversation has been about the presidential election results — with good reason. And I’m working to hold the line for our values and our freedoms against the incoming Trump-Vance administration. But looking further down the ballot, I also want to shine a light on key state-level results in our fight for reproductive freedom. Last month, I asked this team to support six coalitions fighting for abortion rights with ballot measures in six states. Here’s what happened in those races: Overturned State Abortion Bans In Missouri, a group called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom fought to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to overturn the state’s total abortion ban — a ban with no exceptions even for rape and incest. Voters passed the ballot measure and will ensure that families can make their own decisions. While we’re at it, Missouri voters also passed higher minimum wage and paid sick leave laws. And in Arizona, Arizona for Abortion Access passed an amendment to repeal the state’s ban and protect Arizonans’ reproductive freedoms, putting decisions about pregnancy and abortion in the hands of patients and healthcare providers — exactly where they belong. Passed Proactive Constitutional Protections for Reproductive Freedom Nevada voters took the first step toward enshrining abortion rights in their state constitution by passing a ballot measure led by Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom. This is a critical effort against anti-abortion legislators in the state, and it will be on the ballot again in 2026 to make it official. In New York, New Yorkers for Equal Rights cemented the fundamental right to reproductive freedoms in the state constitution so they are permanently protected without political interference. The ballot measure — prop 1 — also prohibits any government discrimination regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, pregnancy status, disability status, or sexual orientation. Fell Just Short Floridians Protecting Freedom fought to put an initiative on the ballot to end Florida's extreme abortion ban, give women and doctors the freedom to make health care decisions, and maintain existing parental rights protections in Florida’s constitution. They demonstrated the will of the people by winning a clear majority — over 57% — but Florida requires a 60% threshold for constitutional amendments. This was a heartbreaking result. In Nebraska, another state with a total abortion ban, the Protect Our Rights campaign had a ballot measure to end the current abortion ban and give patients, families, and doctors the care they need without restrictions. It fell short by just a few percentage points. Another frustratingly close-but-not-enough result. I’m grateful for everyone who threw themselves into these fights. The victories will be life-changing. And even in defeat, the hard work mattered — new groups have gotten together, new partners have fought side by side, and they’ve strengthened their muscles for all the fights to come. Everyone who stood in front of supermarkets to collect petition signatures, everyone who knocked on doors in the summer heat, everyone who made phone call after phone call to voter after voter, everyone who pitched in any amount of time or money they could — it made a difference. I’m deeply grateful. The work will echo in new freedoms won and new coalitions set up to achieve victories down the line. You know, in 2022, when the far right finally achieved their goal of overturning Roe, it was the culmination of decades of work — in state houses, in state-level elections, in winning all the races that let them stack the Supreme Court with right-wing extremists. When Roe became law, and the far right saw women gaining more freedom, they took it as a defeat, and they got to work. Now that a constitutional protection has been ripped away from over half our population, it’s an infuriating loss that we must work even harder to undo. Ever since extremists on the Supreme Court overturned Roe, this team has used our anger and our determination to fight back — together we’ve raised over $700,000 to support abortion organizations that connect patients directly to the care they need, help elect pro-choice candidates, and pass ballot initiatives protecting the right to an abortion. And we’re not stopping. As we face down right-wing extremists who will keep pushing their radical anti-reproductive freedom agenda, can you chip in $5 or any amount to support the National Network of Abortion Funds? 100% of your contribution will go to this vital organization. And if we can make a difference for just one patient, that’s enough reason to stay in the fight. In the Senate, I will do everything I can to block Congressional Republicans and the Trump-Vance administration from further restricting access to abortion and attacking access to contraception and treatments like IVF. I will keep working to elect champions of reproductive freedom so that when Democrats once again control the Senate, House, and White House, we can pass a law codifying the right to an abortion. I will keep pushing for judicial reforms like rebalancing the Supreme Court by expanding it — so a handful of radicals can’t keep trampling over our basic rights. I will keep fighting to pass abortion rights protections at the state level while supporting organizations that connect abortion patients to the care they need. And I know I’m not alone. We make each other stronger in this fight and all the fights to come, Frank. And we must continue to look after each other. Thanks for being a part of this, Elizabeth  | 
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.