Moskowitz Says Abortion Ballot Initiative Failure 'Not Foregone Conclusion'

Florida's abortion law is set to be on the ballot in November, but Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) recently suggested the pro-abortion side of the initiative will fail. However, in a comment to The Floridian, Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) predicted the measure would be far closer, "right on the cusp," and, "I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion."

Gov. DeSantis said earlier in April at a Fort Lauderdale press conference that "Once voters figure out how radical both of those are...they are going to fail," referencing amendments to the Florida Constitution legalizing recreational marijuana for adults over 21 and protecting abortion access up to fetal viability.

The latter amendment, Amendment 4, was allowed to become a ballot initiative several days before by the Florida Supreme Court, although it also ruled that the 15-week abortion ban passed by Gov. DeSantis in 2022 was valid, which could trigger a 6-week abortion ban soon after. Anna Hochkammer, Executive Director of the Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, predicted the measure will mobilize pro-abortion voters.

As a result, Rep. Moskowitz suggested DeSantis's prediction of failure is uncertain, and he "would say, I think it’s a 57-62 issue like I don’t think this is a 70 percent issue and I don’t think it’s a 50 percent issue I think its right on the cusp. I think if there’s a significant turnout, it passes, but the idea that it is going to fail, I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion."

Rep. Moskowitz had previously mocked the recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling from 1864 (back when Arizona was still a territory) almost fully outlawing abortion except in cases of the mother's life being in danger in another comment to The Floridian, saying, "There is nothing like bringing back a rule from 175 years ago because the laws were so great back then. I think the problem that is going on right now is that some states allow healthcare for women and others are instituting laws right from the 1800s," said Moskowitz. “From a political standpoint, if we can’t beat Kari Lake on this, then Arizona is not really in play."