Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) attributed the Arizona Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which upheld a Civil War era near-total abortion ban, to the Republican efforts aimed at overturning Roe v. Wade.
During an interview on Fox Business, host Larry Kudlow sought Ernst’s opinion on the court’s decision to uphold the ban, pointing out that many individuals seemed to be distancing themselves from it.
Ernst chose not to provide a direct response to the question. Rather, she emphasized her stance as a pro-life legislator and highlighted the efforts made by Republicans to delegate the matter to individual states.
In response, Ernst expressed her support for life and highlighted her personal connection as a mother and a new grandmother. She acknowledged the efforts made by Senate Republicans, the GOP, and President Trump to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, she emphasized that the decision to handle this matter has been returned to the states, as it is the law of the land based on the Supreme Court’s ruling.
She added that they had worked diligently to achieve this outcome and now it is up to the states to take it forward.
The Arizona Supreme Court has recently upheld an 1864 abortion law that imposes severe restrictions on patients seeking an abortion. Under this law, individuals are prohibited from obtaining an abortion in almost all cases, including situations involving rape or incest. Moreover, physicians who unlawfully perform the procedure can face imprisonment. This ban overrides the state’s previous 15-week abortion limit, further limiting access to reproductive healthcare.
The ruling, which won’t go into effect right away, faced criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans, especially those in swing races in Arizona.
Republicans face a complication in addressing the issue due to the rejection of legislation that aimed to repeal the 1864 law by Arizona GOP state lawmakers. This raises concerns about the actions that the state Legislature may take to address the court ruling before the November election.
Arizona, along with a few other crucial swing states, holds significant importance in deciding the outcome of the presidential election and determining which party will have control over the Senate. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden emerged victorious in Arizona, defeating Donald Trump by a narrow margin of just over a quarter of a percentage point.
