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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three senior members of a super PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis left the group on Saturday, the latest sign of instability within the 2024 hopeful's political operation just six weeks before the Iowa Republican caucuses. Longtime DeSantis ally Scott Wagner, who had been a member of the group's board, was named interim CEO and board chairman. DeSantis' campaign has relied heavily on Never Back Down for basic campaign functions, though the two sides cannot directly coordinate under federal campaign finance rules. Never Back Down has more staff working in Iowa, more than two dozen, than any campaign or super PAC and have been organizing ahead of the precinct-level caucuses since June.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Kristin Davison, Chris Jankowski, Erin Perrine, Matt Palmisano, Scott Wagner, Donald Trump's, Nikki Haley, DeSantis, Jankowski, Adam Laxalt, DeSantis ’, Jeff Roe, Texas Sen, Ted Cruz, Glenn Youngkin, Perrine, Matt Wolking, Jessica Syzmanski, Roe, David Polyansky, Polyansky, Casey, “ Scott Wagner, Trump, Ron DeSanctimonious, ”, ___ Peoples, Meg Kinnard, Michelle L, Price Organizations: DES, Florida Gov, Iowa Republican, Saturday, Politico, United Nations, Former Nevada, Republican, Texas, Virginia Gov, PAC, Florida, Gov, ___, Associated Press Locations: DES MOINES, Iowa, United States, New York, Columbia , South Carolina, Des Moines , Iowa

☆ For Republican Governors, Civics Is the Latest Education Battleground
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Dana Goldstein | More About Dana Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Lisa Phillip, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at an Orlando charter school, appreciates many of Florida’s new guidelines for teaching civics. And she doesn’t mind teaching about “the influence of the Judeo-Christian tradition” on the nation’s founding documents. The subject prompted her students at Central Florida Leadership Academy to reflect on how the country’s politics, they believed, fell short of the basic morality in the Ten Commandments. This fall, Ms. Phillip is one of thousands of social studies teachers adjusting to a hotly debated overhaul of civics in several conservative states. The revamp is led by Republican governors — Ron DeSantis of Florida, Kristi Noem of South Dakota and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia — who have also restricted how race and gender are discussed in schools.

Persons: Lisa Phillip, innately, Phillip, — Ron DeSantis, Kristi Noem, Glenn Youngkin, Virginia — Organizations: Central Florida Leadership Academy, Republican Locations: Orlando, Florida, South Dakota

HENRICO, Va. (AP) — Susanna Gibson lost her Virginia legislative race this month, but she may not be done with politics. But that is my plan.”Gibson said she had no idea the videos existed until they were brought to her attention by reporters. “What is newsworthy is abortion rights are on the line in Virginia,” she said. She won a competitive June primary and centered her message to voters on protecting abortion rights as the state's Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, pledged to enact stricter limits. Abortion rights groups and a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group continued to support her campaign.

Persons: — Susanna Gibson, Gibson, I’m, ” Gibson, —, Daniel Watkins, ”, ” Ken Nunnenkamp, Roe, Wade, Glenn Youngkin, “, loitered, Louise Lucas, Gibson's, Han Jones, David Owen, Terry McAuliffe, Watkins, she's, Virginia’s, Mary Anne Franks, Franks, Matthew Barakat Organizations: Associated Press, Republican Party of Virginia, University of Virginia, Columbia University, Republican, Democratic Party, Virginia, District, Democratic, FBI, George Washington University Law School Locations: HENRICO, Va, Virginia, Henrico

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A high-profile Democratic prosecutor in northern Virginia who pursued progressive reforms and drew criticism from Republican Gov. Biberaj conceded a day after the Loudoun County Board of Elections finished counting all ballots. Late absentee and provisional ballots narrowed Biberaj's deficit from roughly 1,000 votes to just 300 votes out of more than 135,000 ballots cast. Anderson, who served as Loudoun's top prosecutor from 1996 through 2003, spent just $70,000 on his campaign, compared to more than $1.1 million spent by Biberaj, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. "I am honored to lead this office again as Commonwealth’s Attorney-Elect for Loudoun County and deliver on my promise of restoring transparency and protecting our community from violent crime,” he said in a written statement.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin, Republican Bob Anderson, Biberaj, George Soros, Smith, sheriff's, Youngkin, Anderson, ” Organizations: Democratic, Republican Gov, Republican, Loudoun, Virginia GOP, Washington , D.C, Biberaj Locations: Va, Virginia, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Washington ,

But few outsiders are confident that the off-year wins will necessarily lead to Biden’s reelection or broader Democratic success next year. And Ohio Democrats don't expect Biden to compete in the state next year. To Biden aides, the results validated the strategy of sharpening the contrast with “MAGA Republicans” that helped Democrats outperform expectations in 2022. At the Chicago fundraiser, Biden noted that Beshear won reelection while “running on all the programs that were Biden initiatives.”Beshear kept some distance from Biden the day after he won. Jim Messina, who managed Barack Obama’s successful reelection against Republican Mitt Romney in 2012, said the Biden campaign does not need to change its tactics.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, romped, Donald Trump, Republican overreach, ”, Nina Turner, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Turner, John Yarmuth, he's, “, ” Yarmuth, Yarmuth, Biden’s, “ We’ve, ” Julie Chavez Rodriguez, they’re, “ MAGA, “ MAGA Republicans ”, Tuesday's, Andy Beshear, Daniel Cameron, Cameron, Cameron's, Beshear, ” Beshear, it’s, Dan McCaffery, Glenn Youngkin, Jim Messina, Barack Obama’s, Republican Mitt Romney, Obama, ” Messina, Nikki Haley, Romney, Messina, “ you’re, Ro Khanna, Bernie Sanders ’, ” Khanna, Ed Rendell, Rendell, ” Rendell, Zeke Miller, Emily Swanson, Bruce Schreiner Organizations: WASHINGTON, Associated Press, Democratic, Republican, Biden, Trump, “ MAGA Republicans, White, Chicago, Virginia, statehouse, Republican Gov, ” Locations: Chicago, Kentucky , Virginia , Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ohio, an Ohio, Ky, Kentucky, Kentucky’s, ”, Washington, Frankfort , Kentucky

HENRICO, Va. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger announced Monday she will run for Virginia governor in 2025 instead of seeking reelection to the U.S. House next year. Spanberger, a three-term Democrat, made the announcement in a campaign video, highlighting the importance of lowering prescription drug prices, growing the middle class and easing inflation. Her decision not to seek reelection in the House could lead to a competitive Democratic primary in the 7th. Postal Service won her first congressional race in a district that had been held by Republicans for almost 50 years. Last month, former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn announced she would not run for governor in 2025 and will instead run next year to represent the competitive northern Virginia congressional seat being vacated by a fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton.

Persons: Abigail Spanberger, ” Spanberger, ”, Spanberger, they’re, That’s, Glenn Youngkin’s, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Jason Miyares, Winsome Earle, Sen, Amanda Chase, Chase, she’s, Eileen, Jennifer Wexton Organizations: — U.S . Rep, Virginia, U.S . House, Congressional, Democratic, CIA, U.S . Postal Service, Republicans, Commonwealth, Republican Gov, Richmond Mayor, Democrat, Gov, Sears, U.S . Senate, U.S . Rep Locations: HENRICO, Va, Richmond, Virginia

☆ Spanberger Announces Run for Governor in Virginia, Leaving House Seat in Play
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Luke Broadwater | More About Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Representative Abigail Spanberger, a prominent Virginia Democrat who was repeatedly able to win in a conservative-leaning district, announced on Monday that she would run for governor in 2025, leaving open a competitive seat that could be crucial to her party’s efforts to win back control of the House next year. Ms. Spanberger, 44, is seen as among the strongest Democratic contenders to succeed Gov. Her decision not to seek re-election to Congress leaves House Democrats scrambling to hold a seat that is regularly in play for both parties. Ms. Spanberger is the first candidate to announce a run for Virginia governor. Her early announcement is intended to allow a successor to build a campaign for the 2024 House race, which Democrats believe would provide a more favorable electorate than a special election.

Persons: Abigail Spanberger, Spanberger, Glenn Youngkin, Ms Organizations: Virginia Democrat, Democratic, Gov, Republican, Virginians, Virginia Locations: Virginia, “ Virginia

☆ Trump 'increasingly sour' on RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, as GOP grapples with recent losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel reacts next to U.S. President Donald Trump at a fundraising event in New York, U.S., December 2, 2017. Yuri Gripas | ReutersFormer President Donald Trump has grown "increasingly sour" on Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and the overall leadership of the RNC, according to a person close to the former president. "I do think if there's enough pressure from us and Trump, McDaniel might just decide, 'this is humiliating,' and step down." During a recent interview with conservative commentator Rogan O'Handley, Bannon asked O'Handley what he would like to say to Trump about McDaniel. Beyond the latest slate of Republican losses, the Republican National Committee also appears to be lagging behind the Democratic National Committee in overall fundraising.

Persons: Ronna McDaniel, Donald Trump, Yuri Gripas, Trump, McDaniel, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Rich Anderson, Anderson, Glenn Youngkin, Ronald Reagan, Youngkin, David McNew, David Mcnew, Steve Bannon, Rogan O'Handley, Bannon, O'Handley, Let's, Jamie Harrison, Kayleigh McEnany, Tom Williams Organizations: Reuters, Republican National, RNC, California Republican, Trump, Republicans, Republican Party, GOP, Republican, Library, Foundation, Getty, White House, Republican National Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC, Capitol, CQ, Inc Locations: U.S, New York, Virginia , Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, SIMI VALLEY , CA, Simi Valley , California, White

☆ Opinion: Marjorie Taylor Greene botches the explanation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. CNN —On the day after Republicans lost pivotal races in Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia last week, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene offered a diagnosis for her party’s ills. On Tuesday, Ohio voters passed an amendment to the state constitution that guarantees abortion rights. The disconnect may or may not cost Trump votes in 2024, but it’s hurting Republicans up and down the ballot. “Democrats will win in 2024 by making the election a choice, not just a referendum on Biden’s performance in office.

Persons: Marjorie Taylor Greene, CNN’s Manu Raju, Donald Trump, Roe, Wade, Trump, ”, Kate Bedingfield, Joe Biden’s, Youngkin, ” Bill Bramhall, Bedingfield, They’ll, Julian Zelizer, Biden, ” Clay Jones, ” Clay Jones Republican Lanhee Chen, — don’t, Chen, “, ” Mary Ziegler, Davis, Republicans don’t, Comstock, Nikki Haley, Ana Marie Cox, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Dick Cheney, ’ Haley, Haley, Ramaswamy, ‘, Haley “, ” Patrick T, Brown, ” Roxanne Jones, DeSantis, Todd Graham, Bill Bramhall, Mary Ellen O’Connell, ” “, ” John Spencer, he’s, Al Qaeda, Peter Bergen, Israel, Hani Almadhoun, Suzanne Nossel, Frida Ghitis, Walt Handlesman, Ivanka Trump, Elliot Williams, Letitia James, Williams, ” Williams, Nick Anderson, Ian Berry, Bob Dylan, Anna Lee, I’d, William, I’ll, Bethany McLean, Joe Nocera, Dr, Kent Sepkowitz, ” Sepkowitz, ” Don’t, Corey Mintz, DoorDash, Paul Rieckhoff, Jill Filipovic, Shannon Watts, Jade McGlynn, Keith Magee, King Charles, Sara Stewart, Priscilla ’, Barbra Streisand, CHANEL, Presley Ann, Patrick McMullan, Holly Thomas, James Brolin, Barbra’s, Thomas Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Trump, “, White House, State Senate, Biden, ” Clay Jones Republican, University of California, Department of Justice, Florida Gov, Republican, Senate, Content Agency Israel, Hamas, University of Notre Dame, Modern War, Twitter, Facebook, ISIS, Content Agency Trump, New York, Trump Organization, “ Trump, —, Tribune, Agency, College of, Getty, BBC Locations: Kentucky , Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, “, Mexico, Ohio, State, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Kentucky, Mississippi, Florida, Miami, Hialeah , Florida, Trump, Israel, Gaza, Hamas, West, Mosul, Raqqa, Manhattan, New York City, Ukraine, Malibu , California, Greenwich Village

☆ How Danica Roem overcame a massive anti-trans campaign to win her fourth election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Sebastian Cahill | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Danica Roem is now the first-ever transgender state senator in Virginia. AdvertisementAdvertisementRoem, 39, already had two comfortable reelection victories in her northern Virginia House of Delegates district. After coming into the election with a Democratic State Senate and a Republican House of Delegates, Virginia has a Democratic majority in both chambers. In her own election, Roem "faced an unprecedented deluge of anti-trans hate on the campaign trail, but she was not fazed nor distracted," Parker said. AdvertisementAdvertisementHer Inner MayorAs a trailblazer for trans politicians, Roem is celebrated in Democratic and cultural circles.

Persons: Danica Roem, Roem, —, toting kabobs, Glenn Youngkin, Youngkin's, Youngkin, Annise Parker, Parker, Bob Marshall, Virginia's, she's, Marshall, Bill Woolf III, I'm, Prince William County Organizations: Republican, Service, Shadow, Democratic, Delegates, Republican Gov, Associated Press, ABC, Houston, Democratic State Senate, of, Ohio, Democrat, Capitol, Mayor, Dodge, Airport Locations: Virginia, state's, Arlington , Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Richmond, United States, Centreville, Manassas, Virginia's, Prince William

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia's state House will soon have its first Black speaker in its more than 400-year history after the chamber's incoming Democratic majority on Saturday chose Del. Scott was unanimously elected speaker-designee by the House Democratic Caucus, the group said in a news release. The full House of Delegates will vote to officially confirm him on the first day of the 2024 legislative session. “Virginia voters sent a resounding message on Tuesday that they wanted a Commonwealth that moved forward and that is exactly what I intend to do as your next Speaker,” Scott said in a statement. House Republicans were expected to vote Sunday.

Persons: Del, Don Scott, Scott, Virginia, ” Scott, Glenn Youngkin, Youngkin, Richmond —, “, We’re, ”, Youngkin's, Breit, designee, Eileen, Todd Gilbert, Charniele Herring, Alexandria, Kathy Tran, Tran, Terry Kilgore, Gilbert Organizations: —, Democratic, House Democratic Caucus, GOP, U.S . Navy, Portsmouth, Virginia Democrats, Navy, Republicans, Youngkin, Virginia voters, Virginia, Republican, ”, Democrats, American, Pacific, Senate Democratic Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Commonwealth, Tuesday's, Virginia, Texas, Fairfax County

Roem, 39, already had two comfortable reelection victories in her northern Virginia House of Delegates district. Only two folks who saw the mailers phoned her and she’s having lunch with one of them to talk things through. ___HER INNER MAYORAs a trailblazer for trans politicians, Roem is celebrated in Democratic and cultural circles. Her slogan for the 2023 campaign was “Fixing roads, feeding kids.” Much of Roem’s social media feed reads like a transportation diary — or the work of a mayor. In her first two campaigns, Roem had her own past investigated, to avoid being blindsided.

Persons: Danica Roem, toting kabobs, Roem, Glenn Youngkin, ” Roem, “, ”, Annise Parker, —, Roem “, Parker, ‘ electable, Bob Marshall, Virginia’s, she's, ” Marshall, Marshall, Bill Woolf III, — “ Organizations: WASHINGTON, Dodge Shadow, Democratic, Delegates, Republican Gov, Associated Press, Houston, “, Capitol, Dodge, Airport, + + Locations: Arlington , Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, Richmond, United States, Centreville, Manassas

☆ Republicans still don't know how to talk about abortion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The 2023 elections show Republicans still don't know how to talk about abortion. (Never mind the fact that abortion rights advocates have now won seven times when abortion has explicitly been on the ballot.) "If pro-life Republicans want to actually save lives, they have to learn to LISTEN TO WOMEN and talk about abortion AND contraception." As Vance described, many Republicans abandoned their decades-long commitment to traditional exceptions to abortion bans in the cases of rape, incest, or the mother's health. "As much as I'm pro-life, I don't judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don't want them to judge me for being pro-life," Haley said.

Persons: GOP hasn't, —, Glenn Youngkin's, Nancy Mace, Sen, J.D, Vance, Republican Sen, Rick Santorum, Joe Biden, Andy Beshear, you've, Ron DeSantis, You've, they've, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Haley Organizations: GOP, Service, Virginia Gov, Republican, Republicans, Ohio Republicans, Kentucky Gov, Politico, UN, Senate, America Locations: Ohio, Ohio , Michigan , Kansas, Kentucky, Carolina, Idaho, Arizona and Missouri, Florida, Iowa

☆ How Virginia’s Elections Came Down to the Wire
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Review and Outlook: A wake-up call for the Democratic Party, as a Siena College-New York Times poll of six 2024 battleground states shows Mr. Biden losing to Donald Trump in Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Images: AP/Getty Images Composite: Mark KellyDemocrats had a good election night on Tuesday, and the left is especially ebullient about blocking statewide Republican control in Virginia. But a closer look at the returns shows that GOP Gov. Mr. Youngkin threw his full political weight behind holding the House of Delegates and flipping the state Senate, part of why Democrats were so relieved he failed. The Democratic upper chamber has blocked his priorities such as a cut in the state’s corporate and personal income tax rate.

Persons: Biden, Donald Trump, Mark Kelly Democrats, Glenn Youngkin, aren’t, Youngkin, Trump’s Organizations: Democratic Party, Siena, New York Times, Republican, GOP Gov, Dominion, Republicans, Democratic, Gov Locations: Nevada , Georgia, Arizona , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia

☆ Biden’s ‘Up-Ticket’ Ballot Strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Susan Milligan | Lauren Camera | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +9 min

Is the 80-year-old Biden (who turns 81 on Nov. 20) uniquely vulnerable because of his age and other issues? We'll get you copies of all those other polls," Biden said as he prepared to leave for a speech before United Auto Workers in Illinois. A lot of Biden's policies are toxic," O'Connell adds, ticking off the border and inflation along with the president's age. Democrats, meanwhile, believe they can benefit not just from the abortion issue but discontent toward Trump, whose favorability numbers with the general electorate are on par with Biden's . With stubbornly low approval ratings a year out from the election, Biden will need all the help he can get.

Persons: Joe Biden, –, Biden, ”, Jason Cabel Roe, Roe, Cook, Jessica Taylor, Donald Trump, I'm, We'll, Barack Obama, David Axelrod –, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Kamala Harris, Andy Beshear, Daniel Cameron's, Beshear, A’shanti Gholar, Glenn Youngkin, Youngkin, Sen, Tim Kaine, “, Trump, Wade, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott of, Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, Haley, Ford O'Connell, O'Connell, State Jena Griswold, Gholar Organizations: Democratic, Republicans, Democratic Party, Michigan Republican Party, Kentucky, New York Times, Siena, CNN, United Auto Workers, Biden, Jackson, Health Organization, Kentucky GOP, Bluegrass State, GOP, Republican, Supreme, Louisiana Republican, Democrats, South Carolina Gov, Florida Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, Colorado, State Locations: Ohio, Virginia, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Illinois, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Dobbs v, Kentucky, Southern, Louisiana, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Florida

☆ How Abortion Could Define the 2024 Presidential Race - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Tom Bonier | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Mr. Trump’s narrow lead in recent polls is largely due to Mr. Biden’s underperforming with younger voters and voters of color relative to his support levels in 2020. That said, in the immediate aftermath of seeing his state overwhelmingly support abortion rights this week, the Republican senator J.D. Vance of Ohio is urging a national Republican position on abortion in the form of a 15-week ban. Before the Virginia elections, national Republicans clearly hoped that Mr. Youngkin had found the consensus choice, with what they emphasized as limits on abortion, not bans. Abortion rights have had the biggest impact on elections over the past year and a half where voters believe abortion rights to be threatened and when they plausibly see their votes as a means to protect or reinstate abortion rights, it is good news for Democrats and for expanding or protecting abortion access.

Persons: Dobbs, Biden, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Trump, Mr, Youngkin Organizations: Republicans, Representatives, Democratic, Senate, Republican, Republican Party Locations: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona

☆ Opinion | The G.O.P’s Culture War Shtick Is Wearing Thin With Voters
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Republican Party has always leaned on culture war issues to win elections, but for the last three years, since Joe Biden won office in 2020, an aggressive and virulent form of culture war demagoguery has been at the center of Republican political strategy. To be fair to Republican strategists, there was a moment, in the fall of 2021, when it looked like the plan was working. Youngkin shot to national prominence and Republicans made immediate plans to take the strategy to every competitive race in the country. In 2022, with “parental rights” as their rallying cry, Republican lawmakers unleashed a barrage of legislation targeting transgender rights, and Republican candidates ran explicit campaigns against transgender and other gender nonconforming people. “They kicked God out of schools and welcomed the drag queens,” said Kari Lake, an Arizona Republican, during her 2022 campaign for governor.

Persons: Joe Biden, demagoguery, Glenn Youngkin, Terry McAuliffe, Youngkin, “, ”, Kari Lake Organizations: Republican Party, Republican, Democratic, Arizona Republican Locations: Virginia , Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Arizona

☆ Are Republicans Tired of All the Losing?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday. They handed Republicans another drubbing with their twin issue set of abortion rights and fear and loathing of the MAGAGOP. Start in Virginia, where Democrats picked up the state House of Delegates and held control of the state Senate. President Biden won the state by 10 points and congressional Democrats in 2022 carried all seven of the state Senate’s swing districts.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin, Jay Paul, Glenn Youngkin’s, Biden Organizations: Virginia Gov, Associated Press Democrats, Republicans, GOP, Republican Gov Locations: Virginia

☆ Suburbs Were Democratic Turf on Tuesday. What About in 2024?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Jonathan Weisman | More About Jonathan Weisman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Abortion was dominant; suburban voters outside Ohio’s biggest cities voted overwhelmingly to establish the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution. Kentucky’s incumbent Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, who ran hard on abortion rights and kitchen-table issues like infrastructure spending, won not only Jefferson County, home to Louisville, and Fayette County, home to Lexington. He also beat his Republican challenger, Daniel Cameron, in Kenton and Campbell Counties, once reliably Republican redoubts across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. “The Republican Party has to modernize its message on this issue if we’re going to convince Democrats and independents to cross over and vote Republican. This time, she said, some of the same parents recoiled from Republican efforts to ban books with L.G.B.T.Q.

Persons: Andy Beshear, Daniel Cameron, Glenn Youngkin’s, Danica Roem, “, ”, John Whitbeck, Roe, Wade, Heather Williams, recoiled Organizations: Democratic, Republican, Campbell Counties, Democrat, Virginia General, State Senate, Democrats, Republican Party of Virginia, Republican Party, Democratic Legislative, Committee Locations: Ohio’s, Jefferson County, Louisville, Fayette County, Lexington, Kenton, Campbell, Ohio, Cincinnati, Virginia, Loudoun County, Washington, ”

Democrats won full control of the General Assembly despite losing in key swing districts. In this year’s election, Republican candidates prevailed in three of the four Biden-Youngkin state Senate districts and in at least seven of 11 Biden-Youngkin state House districts. There were 20 Senate districts and 48 House districts carried by both Biden in 2020 and McAuliffe in 2021. Democrats won all of them Tuesday, averaging 67% of the vote in Senate districts and 76% in House districts. In comparison, there were 16 Senate districts and 41 House districts carried by both Trump and Youngkin.

Persons: Republican Glenn Youngkin’s, Terry McAuliffe, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Youngkin, Donald Trump's, McAuliffe, –, Siobhan Dunnavant, Monty Mason, Matt Fariss, Karen Greenhalgh, Del, Kim Taylor Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democrats, Republicans, Republican, Biden, Associated Press, Hampton Roads, Youngkin, Trump, Democratic, House, AP Locations: Virginia, Youngkin, Petersburg, Richmond, Fredericksburg, Hampton, District, Williamsburg

The passage of an abortion rights constitutional amendment in Ohio, and Virginia Democrats' capture of both legislative chambers after abortion-focused campaigns, showed that Republicans' long campaign to end abortion rights has become a liability ahead of the 2024 elections, strategists from both parties said. "Republicans have to stop pushing policies that make people believe they are trying to ban abortion. SEEKING A MIDDLE PATHThis year, Virginia Republicans, led by Governor Glenn Youngkin, leaned hard into plans for a 15-week abortion ban should they win control of the legislature. MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AGAINST ABORTION BANSOpinion polls show the majority of Americans support legal abortion in all or most cases. Abortion rights could also appear directly on 2024 ballots in states including Arizona and Florida, as they did in Ohio on Tuesday.

Persons: Nickolas Lentz, Evelyn Hockstein, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, John Feehery, Feehery, Glenn Youngkin, Mike Johnson, Trump, Roe, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Karen Finney, Marjorie Dannenfelser, Gabriella Borter, Tim Reid, Scott Malone, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Democrats, Virginia Democrats, Republicans, Republican Party, Republican, Democratic, Virginia Republicans, U.S, Reuters, Court, NBC, SBA, Thomson Locations: Dewitt , Michigan, U.S, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Arizona, Washington, Los Angeles

☆ Abortion rights advocates, Democrats score wins in US elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Democrats and abortion rights advocates notched a string of electoral victories on Tuesday, including in conservative Ohio and Kentucky, an early signal that reproductive rights remain a potent issue for Democrats ahead of the 2024 presidential race. In Ohio, a state that voted for Republican Donald Trump by 8 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election, voters approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights, Edison Research projected. He also ran on protecting abortion rights, though he is powerless to overturn the state's near-total ban. Last year, abortion rights advocacy groups scored a series of victories by placing abortion-related referendums on the ballot, including in conservative states. Anti-abortion forces campaigned against the Ohio amendment as too extreme, while abortion rights groups warned that rejecting it would pave the way for a stringent ban to take effect.

Persons: Republican Donald Trump, Roe, Wade, Glenn Youngkin's, Andy Beshear, Edison, Joe Biden's, Biden, Beshear, Daniel Cameron, Megan Jelinger, Youngkin, Trump, Tate Reeves, Brandon Presley, Elvis Presley, Presley, Reeves, Cameron, Joseph Ax, Jason Lange, Eric Beech, Nandita Bose, Costas Pitas, Gabriella Borter, Colleen Jenkins, Aurora Ellis, Deepa Babington, Lincoln Organizations: Republican, Edison Research, Democratic Legislative, Democratic, Trump, Democrats, Kentucky, REUTERS, Ohio, Senate, Republican Mississippi, Biden, Edison, Thomson Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, U.S ., Virginia, Columbus , Ohio, U.S, Arizona, Florida

OHIO ABORTION RIGHTSOhioans voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, Edison Research projected, which will render moot a six-week abortion limit signed into law by Republican Governor Mike DeWine. The ban is currently on hold pending litigation at the conservative state Supreme Court. The success of Ohio's ballot measure initiative, which put the question of abortion rights to voters directly, adds to a string of ballot measure victories for abortion rights supporters since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURTThe race for a new state Supreme Court justice will not alter the liberal tilt of Pennsylvania's highest court but could have future implications for abortion rights and election laws in the state. Democrats have a 4-2 majority in the partisan state court, with one vacant seat to be filled in this election.

Persons: Andy Beshear, Jon Cherry, Daniel Cameron, Republican Donald Trump, Beshear, Tate Reeves, Democrat Brandon Presley, Reeves, Presley, Elvis Presley, Roe, Wade, Glenn Youngkin, Mike DeWine, Cherelle Parker, Republican David Oh, Jim Kenney, Sheila Jackson Lee, John Whitmire, Sylvester Turner, Daniel McCaffery, Carolyn Carluccio, Gabriella Borter, Colleen Jenkins, Lincoln Organizations: Democratic, Capitol, REUTERS, Republicans, KENTUCKY, Edison Research, Republican, MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR Republican, Democrat, Democratic Governors Association, NEW, General, U.S, PENNSYLVANIA, New York Times, Democrats, Thomson Locations: Frankfort , Kentucky, U.S, Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, COVID, MISSISSIPPI, Northern Mississippi, Southern, VIRGINIA, Virginia's Senate, U.S ., NEW JERSEY, Democratic New Jersey, OHIO, Philadelphia, Houston

Yesterday’s elections went well for the Democratic Party. Andy Beshear won re-election in normally red Kentucky, 53 percent to 48 percent, by emphasizing his support for abortion rights and the economic benefits of Biden administration policies. In increasingly red Ohio, voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that keeps abortion legal until roughly 23 weeks of pregnancy. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, all seven states to have voted on abortion rights have chosen to protect or expand them. Miles Coleman, an election analyst at the University of Virginia, said of abortion.

Persons: Andy Beshear, Biden, Roe, Wade, Glenn Youngkin’s, ’, ” J, Miles Coleman, “ It’s, ” Organizations: Democratic Party, Gov, State Senate, Youngkin, University of Virginia Locations: Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia

Republicans on Tuesday decisively lost key electoral matchups across the country that came down to one issue over and over again: abortion. Ron DeSantis has signed a ban on abortion beyond six weeks of a pregnancy in his state, while he also backs a nationwide ban beyond 15 weeks. Former Vice President Mike Pence had been the most staunch opponent to abortion, criticizing calls for consensus and arguing for a nationwide ban on abortion before 15 weeks. Still, he’s suggested openness to a ban beyond 15 weeks more recently. Youngkin, who wasn’t himself on the ballot, campaigned on a pledge to pass an abortion ban beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy if voters granted Republicans full legislative control.

Persons: –, ” Marjorie Dannenfelser, “, ” Sen, Mitt, we're, ” Romney, it’s, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, he’s, Nikki Haley, Sen, Tim Scott of, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Donald Trump –, disjointedly, Roe, Glenn Youngkin, Youngkin, wasn’t, Dannenfelser, ” Organizations: GOP, Democrats, SBA, Utah Republican, Former New Jersey Gov, Republican, Virginia Gov, Republicans, Delegates Locations: Ohio , Virginia, Kentucky, Mitt Romney, Utah, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Washington

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