Ohio voters said “no” to a proposal backed by conservatives and pro-life organizations seeking to make it harder to amend the state’s constitution.
More than three million voters in the red state cast a ballot Tuesday, and 57% of them rejected the GOP-backed Issue 1, which sought to raise the standards for passing a constitutional amendment from a simple majority to a 60% supermajority. The proposal, while not specifically mentioning abortion, was strongly opposed by pro-abortion activists seeking to give women more abortion access after the state passed a heartbeat bill last year. Ohioans will vote on a citizen initiative in November seeking to enshrine abortion in the state’s constitution.
President Joe Biden celebrated the defeat of Issue 1 with a Tuesday night statement, saying, “Today, Ohio voters rejected an effort by Republican lawmakers and special interests to change the state’s constitutional amendment process. This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions. Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won.”
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which supported the measure, released a statement slamming the “pro-abortion Left” that “funneled in millions from outside groups to mislead the people of Ohio.”
“It is a sad day for Ohio and a warning for pro-life states across the nation,” the organization said. “Millions of dollars and liberal dark money flooded Ohio to ensure they have a path to buy their extreme policies in a pro-life state. Tragically, some sat on the sideline while outsider liberal groups poured millions into Ohio.”
The special election attracted millions of dollars from outside groups on both sides of the issue. Those supporting Issue 1 were almost entirely funded by Illinois billionaire and business owner Richard Uihlein. Of the campaign’s $4.8 million, Uihlein contributed $4 million, according to campaign filings, the Associated Press reported. The campaign opposing Issue 1 raised $10 million more than those supporting the initiative with nearly all of its contributions coming from outside groups such as the leftist dark money group, Sixteen Thirty Fund.
Abortion activists are optimistic that the defeat of Issue 1 paves the way for Ohio to enshrine legal abortion in the state’s constitution in November after other conservative states have voted to protect abortion access following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade. Last year, Kansas overwhelmingly voted against an amendment to remove the right to abortion from the state’s constitution. A few months later, voters in Kentucky rejected a similar ballot proposal.
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Protect Ohio Women, the campaign seeking to defeat the November abortion initiative, said it would continue fighting to protect the unborn.
“Our pro-life, pro-parent coalition is more motivated than ever,” the group said.