Republican Booed While Talking About Abortion

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose received boos from a crowd at an event this week while speaking about his stance on abortion.

"What we're talking about is preventing any series of things from coming to Ohio, that have been talked about. It's not just this radical abortion amendment that we're looking at in November," the Republican said, prompting many in the crowd to boo and jeer.

Later in the event, LaRose said: "In the work that I do as Secretary of State, I wear the referee's jersey. I'm completely unbiased in how we call those..." He was once again met with jeers and laughter from the crowd.

LaRose's comments and the response from the crowd came shortly after his office announced that a proposed amendment that seeks to guarantee abortion access in the state had received enough signatures to be voted on in November.

The proposed amendment received more than 495,000 valid signatures, surpassing the 413,487 signatures required to place the measure on the ballot, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"I hereby certify that petitioners submitted 495,938 total valid signatures on behalf of the proposed statewide initiative," LaRose wrote in a letter to the petitioners after the signatures surpassed the minimum amount, CNN reported.

Shortly after last summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade, taking away the constitutional right to undergo an abortion across the U.S., abortion rules have been determined by states.

Ohio banned abortions from the time fetal cardiac activity is detected, or about six weeks into pregnancy, with a law that was passed in 2019 and took effect after Roe was overturned. But a judge in Cincinnati issued a temporary restraining order against the law, allowing abortions to take place up to 22 weeks.

"Today was an important victory for Ohio women, and Ohio Democrats were proud to play our part," Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Elizabeth Walters said in a statement after the amendment made it to the ballot.

"Out-of-touch politicians are relentlessly attacking women's fundamental rights, inserting themselves into women's personal, medical decisions and laying the groundwork for a total abortion ban in Ohio. In the days and weeks ahead, we look forward to telling these corrupt politicians: we won't go back."

In a USA Today Network/Suffolk University poll this month asking Ohioans their views on abortion, 58 percent of respondents said they supported the abortion rights amendment that will be voted on in November.

Newsweek reached out to LaRose's office via email for comment.