In Kentucky, conservatives warn of Roe v. Wade 2.0′

Although there has been no public poll on the amendment, progressives hoping to defeat it point to their significant monetary advantage as an encouraging sign. According to reports filed with the Secretary of State’s office, the “Protect Access to Kentucky” campaign was almost 5 million dollars this year compared to about $867,000 according to Yes for Life – Campaign for the measure.

The trophy allowed Protect Kentucky Access to hire one of the architects of the failed Progressive victory in Kansas – Rachel Sweet – and cover the state with television and digital ads with a similar message to the one they used earlier this summer to appeal to Republicans and Republicans. Libertarian voters: The amendment would allow lawmakers to violate privacy and personal medical decisions.

“The little red states are really underinvested,” Sweet said, adding that she believes this year’s vote results will change advocates’ views on what can be achieved in the GOP-controlled parts of the country if you put questions before the People’s Assembly. . vote

Their campaign also invested resources in countering the push for the amendment, which was undertaken by much of the state’s religious community. Protect Kentucky. Access has enlisted the support of progressive religious leaders such as Rev. Wayne A. Gnatuck, former Presbyterian minister and leader of the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Freedom, appear in TV commercials wearing a clerical collartalk to parishioners about this amendment and set tables at major events such as the Kentucky State Fair.

Gnatuk told POLITICO that there are more differences of faith among different religions and different Christian denominations on the thorny issue of when life begins than many people realize, and he hopes Tuesday’s vote will demonstrate that.

“What right does one of these religious positions have to impose its theology on others?” he asked. “This is a matter of religious freedom. I don’t want evangelicals and Catholics to tell me what I should do, what my family should do, or what my friends should do. It’s honestly none of their business.”

The bulk of Yes for Life’s funding came from the Kentucky Catholic Conference, the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and other faith groups, and they held numerous church events to rally support for the measure, including a large prayer rally the Sunday before. vote.

“Pastors are always coming into our offices wanting more signs for their congregations and saying, ‘I want to pray with you because we know how hard you work,'” said Addiya Wuhner, a former Kentucky State House Republican representative who now chairs “Yes for Life” campaign. “The other side may have the money to buy sophisticated advertising, but Kentuckians also hear from their communities.”

Wuhner and other anti-abortion leaders say they are confident because Kentucky has repeatedly elected anti-abortion leaders, including lawmakers who introduced a trigger ban before the fall Caviar.

Walls also claimed that the results in Kansas were a fluke and that voters were thrilled in the immediate aftermath. Supreme Court decision annulling Caviar. Now, he says, “people will make more multilateral decisions about how they vote.”

But those working to get Kentuckians to vote yes also said they were fighting a sense of complacency among voters who agreed with their position.

“Many people think: “Well, Caviar was repealed and we have a trigger law, so the game is up, we’re done,” Marina Mason, a Louisville native who works with the anti-abortion group Students for Life, told POLITICO. “We’re trying to say, ‘Guys, don’t relax and think we’ve done it and we can all go home.’ Just because we have these laws right now doesn’t mean they’ll stay forever.”

Mason said she and other campaigners are working to remind voters of the stakes of an upcoming court hearing on the state’s abortion restrictions, suggesting they approve an amendment to avoid Rowe vs. Wade 2.0″.

Supporters on both sides said they were looking not just at Tuesday’s vote, but at years of fighting in the courts and legislatures over abortion in Bluegrass State.

Gnatuk is working to expand his network of dozens of clergy and several congregations that support abortion rights, while Students for Life said their campaigning also aims to improve voter attitudes towards the anti-abortion movement. .

“Obviously we want to win,” said Helen Senn, a University of Louisville student who volunteered to campaign for the amendment. “But the conversation we have with someone could change their entire life and open the door for them to see that not all life advocates dress up as the Grim Reaper and yell at them or something. If we can show the humanity of the generation of supporters of life, it will already be a victory.”