The Battle for Abortion in Kansas Has Ripples Throughout the US

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 50-year precedent granting the constitutional right for women to seek an abortion. While the court’s ruling doesn’t outright ban abortion, it does allow individual states to set abortion laws.

Currently, 13 states have trigger laws that either ban abortion immediately or very soon. Immediately after the Supreme Court’s decision, abortion bans in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Alabama went into effect. These laws proposed in those states would seek criminal punishments for those who perform the operations.

In fact, the political left’s backlash against the court’s decision has ensued. Democratic lawmakers and leftist activists have shared their reactions on Twitter. “Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women’s rights and human rights,” wrote former presidential election contender Hillary Clinton.

On the other hand, many prominent conservatives, who identify as pro-life, rejoiced at the court’s decision. Former Vice President Mike Pence tweeted, “Having been given this second chance for Life, we must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land.”

As a result, in a post-Roe landscape, a surge of ballot measures aimed at bringing the issue of abortion rights to women has begun. Over in Kansas, Republicans in the state legislature have challenged the Kansas Supreme Court’s verdict of striking down abortion restrictions by bringing the issue to the public. Amendment 2, if approved, allows the conservative-leaning state legislature to restrict abortion access.

Initially, many left-leaning activists were skeptical about the Kansas referendum, and they have plenty of reasons to be. In a state where registered Republicans far outnumber Democrats, many assumed that Republican voters would toe the line and vote in favor of the amendment. In addition, a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center found that support and opposition to abortion were virtually indistinguishable among Kansas voters.

Yet, on August 2, 2022, the opposite happened. In a decisive victory for the left, a whopping 59% of the population voted to keep abortion access legal in the state. Voter turnout has already reached 50%, far exceeding expectations.

President Joe Biden hailed Tuesday’s vote and called on Congress to pass a law to restore and protect nationwide abortion rights that were provided by Roe.

“This vote makes clear what we know: the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own health care decisions,” Biden said.

However, while the voting results did not go in the direction that anti-abortion advocates had hoped for, they are confident that they are not done. Kansans For Life, a prominent political group that opposes abortion rights, said in a news release that the vote is a temporary setback and that the organization remains dedicated to continuing its work opposing abortion.

“While the outcome is not what we hoped, our movement and campaign have proven our resolve and commitment,” the organization said. “We will not abandon women and babies.”

As time continues, the battle for abortion in the U.S. would likely only intensify as pro, and anti-abortion activists gear up for a nasty fight ahead of the midterms. The vote in this red state may signify what’s to come in other abortion votes around the country later this year.