Democrats are winning several states on abortion rights and other highlights in Tuesday’s election
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats had plenty of good news to celebrate in Tuesday’s off-year election and more evidence that they can win in races centered around the national debate over abortion.
Abortion rights supporters won Ohio ballot measure and Democratic Governor of the Beet Red State of Kentucky He maintained office by campaigning on reproductive rights and portraying his opponent as an extremist. A Democrat won an open seat in Supreme Court of Pennsylvania After campaigning on his pledge to support abortion rights. And the Democrats He took complete control of the Virginia statehousepreventing Republicans from being able to pass new restrictions on abortion and defeating Governor Glenn Youngkin who might Quit any fuss about late entry In the Republican presidential primaries.
The victories will not be enough to make Democrats feel secure before next year’s presidential election. The off-year election has big implications in all of those states and provides a snapshot of American politics heading into 2024. But two big names — Joe Biden and Donald Trump — were not on the ballot this time. Americans’ perception of them will be a major factor in shaping next year’s race.
First Edition supporters cheer at a viewing party, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogroki)
Here are some of the key results from Tuesday’s vote.
Abortion is still a possibility for Democrats
Democrats scored two early wins Tuesday night in Kentucky and Ohio, states that voted for Trump in 2020. In both states, abortion was the main issue on the campaign trail.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was re-elected in the state that Trump won He won by 26 percentage points. Beshear has criticized the views of his Republican rival, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, on abortion, in debates and television advertisements. One Bashir’s announcement A woman who had a miscarriage after her stepfather raped her at the age of 12 appeared expressing disbelief at Cameron’s opposition to abortion in cases of rape and incest.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during an election night rally after being elected to a second term in Louisville, Kentucky, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. At right is his wife, Britney Beshear. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
In Ohio, A A ballot measure preserving abortion rights passed In a state Trump won by eight percentage points in 2020. Republicans had already won that Try to block this action By calling an unusual referendum in August to make it more difficult to pass ballot measures, an initiative that Ohio voters roundly rejected.
Later Tuesday, Dan McCaffrey won an open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court next He positioned himself as an advocate for abortion rights. In Virginia, Democrats took control of the state Senate, flipping control of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Republican Party.
The findings indicate a shift in the political landscape since the conservative majority on the US Supreme Court It repealed the federal right to abortion last year. Abortion rights measures have been passed in a Abundance or excess to States Some other Republican-run states have also imposed new bans on the procedure.
Abortion rights may not be a strong enough issue to make a difference in the election on its own. Several GOP governors who supported the new ban headed for re-election last year, including Mike DeWine of Ohio, Ron DeSantis of Florida, and Greg Abbott of Texas.
Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reese, second from left, joins voters in responding to the passage of Ohio Issue One, a ballot measure to amend the state constitution and establish the right to abortion, at an election night party hosted by the Hamilton County Democratic Party. Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at Knox Joseph Distillery in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. (Karim El Gazzar/Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
But abortion was the main issue across the country on Tuesday. This should worry Republicans in competitive races next year.
Good night for Democrats, but maybe not for 2024
It was a good night for Democrats after a series of victories in special elections, and comes after a stronger showing in last year’s midterm elections, which are usually overwhelming for the ruling party in Washington.
But neither race was an up-or-down decision for incumbent President Biden. None of them showed Trump on the ballot or the ability to increase turnout among rare voters.
Democrats did well in the last special election, and they have Better than expected in 2022. It increasingly appears that the party is starting from a position of strength. But it’s not clear what that translates to for her 80-year-old boss, who is facing… Widespread doubts about his job performance And whether he is too old to serve a second term.
We’ll have to wait until 2024 to see how Biden performs.
Yongqin falls short
Glenn Youngkin burst onto the political scene in 2021, pulling off a surprise victory to become the Republican governor of Virginia, a state that Biden had easily won the previous year. Bringing a mild suburban touch to modern republicanism, Youngkin has generated buzz that he may make a late and surprising entry into the GOP presidential primary after this month’s election.
Instead, Youngkin said he will focus on the 2023 legislative elections and winning full Republican control of Virginia’s government. Things did not go as he had hoped.
Youngkin has raised tens of millions of dollars for Republicans to defend their majority in the Virginia House of Delegates and win control of the Senate, which Democrats narrowly held in 2021. Among the things the Legislature could do with that majority, he said, is pass a 15-vote ban. A one-week abortion was his preference.
Youngkin didn’t really have a path forward in the presidential primary, as his window to get on the ballot had already closed in some states. Virginia has an unusual one-term limit for governors, making Youngkin’s political future even more questionable.
Whatever he does, he’ll have to explain in 2023. He’ll face unified Democratic control of the statehouse for the rest of his term.
Democrats Sadness Hotel
It was a good night for Democrats, but it didn’t go any further.
The party invested heavily in an unexpected place: Mississippi, where Brandon Presley, known as Elvis Presley’s second cousin, was challenging Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.
The party hoped that Presley’s fame and political skills, along with… A change in centuries-old rule Originally designed to prevent black candidates from winning statewide races, it could lead to unexpected wins. But it was not to be.
Reeves won the race. There are limited lessons to be learned from a party that fails in a state that lost its 2020 presidential nominee by 17 points, with the exception of one of the oldest parties — you can’t win them all.
Historical firsts
Political candidates broke barriers in a handful of victories on Tuesday.
Former Biden White House aide Gabe Amo will become the first Black congressman from Rhode Island after winning a special election in that state’s first congressional district.
Democrat Gabe Amo gives two thumbs up to a room full of supporters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at The Guild in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, after winning Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District seat. The former White House aide will become the state’s first Black candidate elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. (Chris Craig/Providence Journal via AP)
Amo, the son of West African immigrants, dropped out of a 12-candidate primary in September to succeed retiring Rep. David Cicilline. On Tuesday, Amo defeated Republican Jerry Leonard, a Marine Corps veteran, in the heavily Democratic district.
Philadelphia will have its first female mayor after Democrat Cheryl Parker defeated Republican David Oh in the Democratic-majority city.
This article originally appeared on apnews.com
