Crist Vows to Veto Bills if GOP Bans Abortions

With the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade, Democrats across the country have been mobilizing support in hopes to gain momentum ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. In Florida, both Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) and Rep. Charlie Crist (D) are vying to replace Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and their campaigns have been newly energized by pro-choice arguments. Anticipating that Gov Ron DeSantis (R) will move to outlaw abortion in the state, Crist has vowed to veto all bills passed by the Florida Legislature if Republicans ban abortions.

This week, Florida judge John C. Cooper announced that he was temporarily blocking a 15-week abortion ban in the state, citing a challenge from reproductive health providers that argue that Florida’s constitution guarantees a right to abortions.

The order will not go into effect until Judge Cooper signs a written order, which is expected to arrive next week.

However, although the judge made this announcement, Rep. Crist directed a warning to Republicans in the state. Crist, commenting that should he win in November, would veto any bills the Republican Legislature sends to his desk if DeSantis and Florida GOP members outlaw abortions in Florida.

“If the Legislature goes into a lame-duck Session and this Governor decides that he wants to ban all abortion everywhere, anytime, I will veto every piece of legislation that comes to my desk as your next Governor until they rescind that ban against them,” warned Crist, who spoke outside the 2^nd Judicial Circuit Court.

Governor DeSantis has doubled down on wanting to “expand pro-life protections,” and he released a statement after the Judge Cooper’s decision.

“The Florida Supreme Court previously misinterpreted Florida’s right to privacy as including a right to an abortion,” said Governor DeSantis, adding that “we reject this interpretation because the Florida Constitution does not include – and has never included – a right to kill an innocent unborn child.”