Arizona Republicans have once again prevented the repeal of a Civil War-era abortion ban despite bipartisan efforts, as CNN reports.
The prospect of the GOP losing the Arizona State Legislature, multiple House seats, Arizona's U.S. Senate race, its 11 electoral votes and a 15-week abortion ban didn't seem to faze the Republican-tilting state legislature:
The vote is a blow for GOP candidates in competitive races, who have been scrambling to distance themselves from the court's decision. Republicans facing competitive races in the state, including former President Donald Trump and US Senate candidate Kari Lake, called on the GOP-controlled legislature to work with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to take a more moderate path.
On Wednesday, following two attempts to discuss a bill that would repeal Arizona's 1864 ban on abortions, lawmakers voted not to discuss the measure on the House floor.
The representatives' votes were evenly split, with the chair making the tie-breaking decision. The bill itself was not brought up for a vote.
“The last thing we should be doing today is rushing a bill through the legislative process to repeal a law that has been enacted and affirmed by the legislature several times,” House Speaker Ben Toma said during debate.
In recent election cycles, increasing numbers of independents and GOP-leaning voters in Maricopa County (the Phoenix metropolitan area) have eschewed hardline Republicans like Joe Arpaio and Kari Lake. The shift has resulted in the loss of both U.S. Senate seats and the governorship.
While Lake remains a popular force amongst grassroots activists and Donald Trump has consistently led Joe Biden in the polls in Arizona, both are worried that the law is too extreme for the battleground state. Most pundits agree.
Despite Trump urging Arizona Republicans to immediately remedy the “inappropriate Law from 1864,” the Center for Arizona Policy's Cathi Herrod kept legislators in line. (RELATED: Trump Delivers Ultimatum To Arizona State Legislature)
Herrod is known for being a pro-life and traditional marriage activist who has uncompromising views on both issues but especially to exceptions to abortion at any point during pregnancy. She reportedly warned Republicans at the capitol that they must uphold the 1864 ban or else. Arizona politicos consider her the unofficial GOP leader at the state capitol.
Under her leadership, the GOP's majority in both chambers has decreased to just two seats.
Nevertheless, Republicans in Phoenix are reluctant to challenge her, even if Trump wants them to.
With only 200 days until the election, Wednesday's development has caused further dysfunction within the national Republican Party and left vulnerable Arizona candidates scrambling in a critical battleground state. Trump leads Biden by 4.5-points in Arizona, but with the most recent survey there coming last month, it remains to be seen how the near-total abortion ban will affect his competitive edge.
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