OPINION:
Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota became the first states to defeat post-Dobbs pro-abortion ballot measures on Tuesday night, and the legacy media would have you believe it’s not a big deal. The day after the election, headlines from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Rolling Stone read “Voters Continued to Back Abortion Rights,” “Abortion Rights Ballot Measures Succeed in 7 of 10 States” and “Abortion Won Almost Everywhere.”
Mainstream media have been reticent to highlight the newly formed fault lines in what Planned Parenthood thought was a fool-proof strategy. But Tuesday’s ballot measure results dealt the abortion industry a devastating blow. The reality is the pro-life movement won the majority of the high-stakes abortion ballot measure fights on election night.
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The amendments that passed in New York, Maryland, Nevada, Colorado, and Montana will do little to change the status quo on unborn rights in those states where abortion is already allowed late in pregnancy or until birth. The stakes were much higher in the other five states – South Dakota, Nebraska, Florida, Missouri, and Arizona – which have pro-life laws protecting babies between conception and 15 weeks. The pro-life movement won three of these five and only narrowly lost Missouri with 51% supporting Amendment 3.
What’s even more vital is the path forward these unprecedented victories establish to stopping future abortion amendments. The fights in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota reveal that GOP engagement is the key to winning abortion ballot measures, with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ involvement being the greatest example.
Up against more than $110 million from the abortion lobby and an army of legacy media reporters supporting Amendment 4, Gov. DeSantis did not back down. He traveled across the state to make sure voters knew the measure would allow abortion at any point and take away parental consent. Gov. DeSantis’ Agency for Health Care Administration launched a public awareness campaign to protect women when the abortion industry ran ads lying about the ability to receive care for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy in Florida. The governor rallied GOP officials throughout the state to stand for life and fundraised to expose the extreme implications of the amendment.
SEE ALSO: Pro-life groups snap pro-choice ballot winning streak as abortion issue runs out of gas
Sen. Pete Ricketts fundraised, contributed, and provided leadership to give Nebraskans a commonsense alternative to the ACLU’s abortion amendment. Gov. Jim Pillen was outspoken about the radical implications of the pro-abortion measure and rebutting the dangerous lies that women cannot receive medical care. Rep. Dusty Johnson ran ads and sent mailers informing South Dakotans that Amendment G had no limit. Sen. John Thune and Gov. Kristi Noem also stepped up to defeat the extreme abortion amendment.
The obvious point that money matters is also a theme in abortion ballot fights. South Dakota’s pro-life side raised more money than the pro-abortion side and the funding in Nebraska was even. These states stand in stark contrast to Missouri and Arizona where the pro-life side was majorly outspent. Money isn’t the end all be all, however. Pro-lifers were outspent 10:1 in Florida but still prevailed because of Gov. DeSantis’ leadership. His press conferences with doctors, interviews with influencers like Ben Shapiro and PSAs on the state heartbeat law’s exceptions moved the needle. Though they had fewer dollars, Gov. DeSantis and GOP leaders raised enough funds to go on offense exposing that Amendment 4 would allow abortion until birth, force taxpayers to fund abortion, and take away parental consent.
Tuesday’s ballot measure victories will save lives. The pro-life laws in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota that protect more than 51,000 unborn lives annually will remain. But the abortion industry isn’t done trying to undo these laws and others that protect babies who can smile, suck their thumbs and feel pain. With their hopes dashed for a national all-trimester abortion mandate in the next four years, they will do everything thing they can to thwart the people’s will to protect life in the states.
The GOP must stand guard. Republicans need to be ready and willing to devote their energy and resources to taking a stand in the greatest human rights issue of our time. Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota prove we can win abortion ballot measures. The GOP must simply choose to fight.
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Kelsey Pritchard, a South Dakota mother of three who serves as the state public affairs director at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
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