In Tuesday’s US election, the hottest topic of debate is abortion rights, Irish Examiner reports.
Americans are voting again a year before the presidential vote and a year after midterm polls gave Republicans a chance to take control of the House of Representatives, although the predicted “red wave” in other countries has not materialised.
Access to abortion has been a frequent topic of election debates and advertisements, from the gubernatorial re-election in Kentucky to the Ohio campaign to the Virginia state legislative elections. In this article, we will look at the three major races and how abortion has affected the course of each.
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear is seeking a second term in Kentucky, where Donald Trump has twice won election. Republicans are represented by Daniel Cameron, who succeeded Mr Beshear as the state’s attorney general.
Mr Beshear has called the state’s restrictive abortion law “extremist” for not allowing exceptions in cases of rape and incest. He also vetoed a proposal to ban abortions after 15 weeks. Mr Cameron says he supports the state law and that as governor he would sign a bill to amend it to allow exceptions for rape and incest. However, he sometimes finds it difficult to specify which exceptions he favours.
Bowling Green, it was great to see you all yesterday! Another fantastic day on the campaign trail. 2 more days, Kentucky! pic.twitter.com/gQgxVE0Bk8 — Andy Beshear (@AndyBeshearKY)November 5, 2023
Mr Beshear, the son of former Democratic governor Steve Beshear, was first elected in 2019, defeating Republican Matt Bevin by a margin of less than half a percentage point, Irish Examiner reports.
Mr Cameron is a former aide to US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Trump has endorsed his candidacy. If elected, he would be the first black Republican governor since Reconstruction.
Ohioans will decide at the polls whether to place an amendment to the state constitution protecting access to abortion services. Under the amendment, citizens would have the right to “make and carry out their own reproductive decisions” on issues such as abortion, contraception, and fertility treatment.
It would also prohibit abortions after it is determined that the fetus can survive outside the womb, unless a doctor determines that continuing the pregnancy would endanger the patient’s “life or health.”
In August, voters rejected a measure that would have made it harder to approve the abortion proposal passed Tuesday, according to Irish Examiner.
Republicans have a narrow majority in the state House of Representatives and Democrats are leading in the state Senate, so control of both houses of the Virginia legislature is in question. There could be a flip in either or both chambers and Republicans could possibly gain full control of state government.
Virginia Beach, together we started a movement. This wasn’t a political movement. It was a movement of Virginians who stood up and chose a different direction. On November 7th, let’s hold the House and flip the Senate! pic.twitter.com/E6BR0uInTp — Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin)November 5, 2023
It would allow Republican Governor Glenn Jankin to enact a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest and endangering the life of the mother. Democratic candidates are actively campaigning on the issue. There are other notable elections on Tuesday.
Republican Governor Tate Reeves is running for a second term. Democrat Brandon Presley will be his opponent, a state utility regulator and cousin of rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley.
Democrats held the Mississippi governor’s office for most of the 20th century, but Republicans have controlled it for the past 20 years.
Great energy at tonight’s Jackson rally! Folks are ready to beat Tate Reeves! pic.twitter.com/CgSggXlCym — Brandon Presley (@BrandonPresley)November 6, 2023
Mr Pressley outspent Mr Reeves this year and almost matched him, thanks to a significant cash injection from the national party, but the incumbent had more money in the final phase of the campaign.
Mr Reeves was first elected in 2019 with 52% of the vote. Both chambers of the state legislature will also be up for election.
Democrat Daniel McCaffery and Republican Carolyn Carluccio are candidates to fill a vacant state Supreme Court seat that could play an important role in hearing ballot cases during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Republican Jerry Leonard and Democrat Gabe Amo will face off in a special election designed to complete the term of former Democratic US Representative David Cicilline, who resigned in May after seven terms in office. The district has been consistently won by Democrats.
Mr Cicilline was first elected in 2010 and has won the last five re-elections with 60% of the vote or more. Democrat Patrick Kennedy previously held the seat for 16 years.
In Houston, 17 candidates are vying to replace outgoing Mayor Sylvester Turner. Today is the last day of early voting.
Find your nearest polling location at https://t.co/5rmwGeIGQM.
Polls close at 7pm and you can vote at any early voting poll location in #HarrisCounty. I was honored to cast my ballot last week in #AcresHomes with fellow Houstonians. pic.twitter.com/v5LOYYVk4Y — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner)November 3, 2023
Two Democrats are among the contenders: U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee and state Senator John Whitmire.
In Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School last year, the mayoral candidates are former news reporter Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter was killed in the shooting, former mayor Cody Smith and primary schools teacher Veronica Martinez.
In Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayor Joe Ganim is seeking an eighth term, but a state judge made an unusual decision Wednesday to re-run the September Democratic primary after evidence of possible ballot stuffing surfaced.
A date for the new primary has not yet been set, but it will be held after Tuesday’s general election.
In Derby, Connecticut, incumbent Mayor Richard Dziekan is running for a fourth term as an independent after losing the Republican primary to Alderman Gino Digiovanni Jr, who was indicted by federal prosecutors in August on charges of trespassing at the U.S. Capitol during the 6 January 2021 riots.
