Abortion rights are winning in red states. Florida may be the exception.
Prominent Orlando trial attorney John Morgan could be considered the kingmaker of Democratic-focused initiatives, having poured millions of dollars of his own money into successfully getting medical marijuana and a minimum wage increase passed.
But when it comes to the push in Florida that aims to create a right to abortion up to at least 24 weeks of pregnancy — and undo the state’s 6-week ban — Morgan said he’s not getting involved.
“I am pro-choice but this is not my fight,” he said via email when he was asked if he would come out of retirement from funding ballot initiatives.
Morgan encapsulates the problems Florida Democrats and activists face with the current abortion initiative. They want to protect access to abortion, but are struggling to fund the initiative and gather enough signatures by Feb. 1 to qualify to get it on the ballot.
Despite abortion rights advocates this week notching huge wins in state elections — including voters in conservative-leaning Ohio passing a constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to abortions — activists in Florida can’t seem to capture the same level of urgency and excitement, even with crucial deadlines looming.
Honestly surprising. I thought multiple states were going full bore to get this on the ballot where possible.
Given that Florida requires a 60% "yes" vote for the proposal to pass it doesn't make a lot of sense to put the money/time into getting it onto the ballot there. It's just not going to happen. Ohio's amendment passed with a ~57% "yes" vote and we are significantly more purple than Florida. I know it sounds pessimistic, but the money/effort are better focused in other states.
The billionaires that have been preparing for these fights have been building up to it for the last 50+ years. We're not going to undo that amount of preparation overnight, sadly.
No, that makes sense. I didn't realize it was a 60% threshold. Thank God Ohio didn't pass issue 1 in August and completely doom the state not only for this past election but all the future ones.