Friday- The one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade is being harnessed by Republicans and Democrats alike to motivate voters.
On June 24th, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court, through its decision in the Dobbs v Jackson case, declassified abortion as a right and enabled its regulation by the states.
Since the landmark decision, Democrats have galvanized Democrat voters by foreshadowing the potentiality of further abortion regulation.
Florida Democrats are campaigning on the claim that independents and undecided voters do not approve of Republicans’ pro-life initiatives. Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried recently led a press conference to underscore Democrats’ commitment to pursuing abortion deregulation in Florida.
While Ron DeSantis is using Florida’s extreme abortion ban to advance his national ambitions, FDP Chair @NikkiFried reminds him that most Floridians oppose it. pic.twitter.com/cjea77scpl
— Florida Democrats (@FlaDems) June 22, 2023
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava was also present and expressed her support. “We understand the need to protect the freedom and liberties we hold dear from extreme government interference," said Cava.
Today, I stood alongside attorneys, elected officials, and healthcare workers to mark one year since the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade. In Miami-Dade, we understand the need to protect the freedom and liberties we hold dear from extreme government interference. pic.twitter.com/Z6PFnUG4GY
— Daniella Levine Cava (@LevineCava) June 22, 2023
Alternatively, Republicans have celebrated Dobbs as overturning a decision that was both legally and morally pernicious. The Florida GOP is commemorating Dobbs’ anniversary for “protecting life.”
— Florida GOP (@FloridaGOP) June 22, 2023
Nonetheless, there has been hesitancy from the Republicans, especially on the national stage, to fully articulate the party’s abortion principles that will guide policy decisions. Intraparty conflicts have emerged as a result.
Recently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis targeted ex-president Donald Trump. The former governor criticized Trump for his failure to support his Florida pro-life legislation and for characterizing it as too ‘harsh’.
Kellyanne Conway, one of Trump’s former counselor’s emphasized the need for Republicans to take a firm stance on the abortion issue.
“If you are a presidential candidate on the Republican side – in fact, if you are running for the Senate, or if you’re running for Congress, and you say,’ Gee the Dobbs decision now has turned this back to the States, therefore I wash my hands so I don’t have to say anything,’ that is just false,” Conway said at a recent Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America Forum.
According to Conway, instead of infighting over pro-life policy specifics, Republicans should take the offensive and expose the Democrats’ radical policies on this issue.
“The vast majority of Americans agree with (sensible bans) and reject extremes, which really are owned by the Democratic Party at this point, they are the extremists on abortion. If you ask them, ‘What are your exceptions?’ They usually can’t come up with any,” said Conway.
