DeSantis Warns Proposed Abortion Amendment Could End Pro-Life Efforts

Politics August 17,2024

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging Florida voters to pay close attention to a critical issue on the November ballot, warning that the passage of a new abortion amendment could deal a devastating blow to the pro-life movement in the state. Speaking to a crowd at Jesuit High School in Tampa, DeSantis called the upcoming vote a turning point for Florida.

“If you care about building a culture of life in this state or this country, them winning in Florida I think really represents the end of the pro-life movement,” DeSantis told the audience.

His message was clear – the stakes are high, and the future of Florida’s abortion laws hangs in the balance.

The amendment in question, known as Amendment 4, would make it nearly impossible for the state to restrict abortions before viability, which is around 24 weeks, or later in pregnancy if a healthcare provider deems it necessary.

If it passes with at least 60 percent support, Florida’s current six-week abortion limit would be wiped out, and a right to abortion would be enshrined in the state’s constitution — something that could only be undone with another ballot measure or a tough legal battle.

/div>

DeSantis didn’t sugarcoat the challenge ahead for those who oppose the amendment. “If you look at the state of Florida, we do not have a pro-life majority. We’ve got a big chunk, but we don’t have a majority. If only people that are pro-life oppose it, it very well might pass,” he said.

He stressed the importance of reaching out to voters who might generally consider themselves pro-choice but could see the amendment as too extreme.

DeSantis has persistently spoken against Amendment 4, warning in July that it is “bad for Florida.”

Amendment 4 is bad for Florida, and we must come together to defeat it in November.

-It eliminates parental consent for minors, making abortion the only procedure a minor can get without a parent’s consent.

-It removes doctors from the decision and allows any so-called “health… pic.twitter.com/GF2OYUzTWX

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) July 1, 2024

The Republican Party of Florida is standing firmly with DeSantis on this issue. They’ve come out strongly against Amendment 4, as well as a related measure, Amendment 3, which deals with legalizing recreational marijuana.

Party Chairman Evan Power made it clear in May that these amendments are not in line with Florida’s values.

“Floridians are confident that their legislature has been passing laws that reflect the priorities of our state. Amendments 3 and 4 are unnecessary attempts by an increasingly shrinking minority who know the only way to win support for their radical agenda is to confuse and mislead the electorate,” he said.

Power also highlighted other key goals for the Florida GOP, such as making school board races partisan, creating a constitutional right to hunt and fish, and eliminating public campaign financing, which he argues is a burden on taxpayers.

“The Florida Democrats are a dead carcass on the side of the road,” he said further, accusing outside dark money groups of trying to push a far-left agenda on Florida voters.

“The Florida GOP stands ready to correct the record and defeat the radical left while enshrining in our Constitution more rights for our citizens,” he added.

With polls showing the amendment could go either way, the fight over Amendment 4 is set to be a major battleground in the weeks leading up to the election.