Democrats aim to hold GOP accountable in November for threatening reproductive rights.
Reproductive care has become a hot-button issue in the upcoming election in Missouri, as Democrat Lucas Kunce targets Senator Josh Hawley for imposing restrictions that could jeopardize women’s access to services like in vitro fertilization. In a poignant ad campaign, a Missouri mother named Jessica shares her emotional struggle with infertility and calls out Hawley for being behind efforts to ban IVF.
Despite IVF being legal in Missouri and Hawley’s declared support for limited access to abortion as a “pro-life” Republican, Democrats across the nation are ramping up their efforts to portray their Republican opponents as threats to women’s health. This comes in the wake of a significant erosion of reproductive rights, with near-total state abortion bans and restrictions on medication abortion and IVF in states like Alabama since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade.
The Democratic strategy includes using ballot measures to secure abortion rights in up to 13 states, such as Missouri, Arizona, and Florida, with the aim of boosting voter turnout in their favor. Republican candidates like Hawley find themselves on the defensive, struggling to respond effectively to the accusations levied against them.
In Missouri, where the issue of abortion is particularly salient, the race between Hawley and Kunce has intensified. While Hawley maintains a lead in the polls, Kunce has managed to outpace him in fundraising, garnering $2.25 million in donations compared to Hawley’s $846,000 in the most recent quarter. Kunce, a Marine veteran and antitrust advocate, remains confident in his chances, citing a desire among Missourians for freedom and control over their own lives.
Hawley, on the other hand, has voiced his support for a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and to protect pregnant women’s lives. However, Missouri’s state ban is nearly total, with no exceptions for rape or incest, reflecting the intense divide on reproductive care issues in the state.
The push for abortion rights ballot initiatives has gained momentum in multiple states, including Montana, where the outcome of a challenge to Democratic Senator Jon Tester by a Republican candidate could decide control of the Senate. In Missouri, a recent petition to include abortion rights in the state constitution has attracted bipartisan support, with individuals like Larry Bax, who traditionally votes Republican, expressing their concern over the erosion of reproductive care rights.
As the debate over reproductive rights intensifies, individuals like Bax and Jim Seidel, who have historically supported the Republican Party, are reconsidering their allegiances. Seidel, who signed the petition for the abortion rights ballot initiative, plans to vote for Kunce in the upcoming election if he wins the Democratic primary in August, highlighting a potential shift in Missouri’s political landscape.
The issue of reproductive care has also raised questions about the broader implications of government intervention in medical decisions, such as limitations on IVF and birth control. Concerns about the reach of such restrictions have prompted voters like Larry Bax to view the upcoming election as a pivotal moment for safeguarding reproductive rights in Missouri.
For Kunce and his supporters, the upcoming election presents an opportunity to effect change similar to the upset that occurred in the 2012 Senate race in Missouri. Democrat Claire McCaskill’s victory over Republican Todd Akin was largely attributed to Akin’s controversial remarks on abortion, underscoring the significance of reproductive care issues in shaping electoral outcomes.
As the battle over abortion rights unfolds in Missouri and across the country, the outcome of the upcoming election could have far-reaching implications for women’s health and reproductive care access. The stark divide between candidates like Hawley and Kunce reflects a broader ideological clash that resonates with voters grappling with issues of personal freedom and government intervention in healthcare decisions.
KFF Health News (formerly known as Kaiser Health News) is at the forefront of covering critical health issues and policy debates, providing valuable insights into the complex landscape of reproductive care and its impact on political discourse.
